Announcement of the 30th Anniversary of the "Asia Future Growth Equity Fund"

Barings Japan Co., Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Wenjie Hua; hereinafter "the Company") announced that the "Asia Future Growth Equity Fund," managed by the Company, celebrated its 30th anniversary on March 28, 2026.

Since its establishment in 1996, the "Asia Future Growth Equity Fund" (hereinafter "the Fund") has focused on medium- to long-term growth opportunities in the Asian region, investing in high-quality companies under the vision of "investing in the future of Asia."

Over the past 30 years, Asia has undergone significant changes, becoming a center of innovation and growth, driven by factors such as the advancement of digitalization, changes in consumer lifestyles, and the restructuring of global supply chains. In this environment, the Fund has consistently pursued the discovery and investment in companies that demonstrate a medium- to long-term competitive advantage, based on bottom-up research with a deep understanding of local markets and an investment philosophy of GARP (Growth at a Reasonable Price), which involves investing in growth companies at a reasonable price.

SooHai Lim, Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, commented: "We are grateful to our investors who have supported the Fund for many years, allowing us to reach this 30th-year milestone. We will continue to accurately capture changes in the Asian market and pursue the discovery and investment in high-quality companies from a long-term perspective."

Even amidst increasing geopolitical uncertainties, corporate earnings growth in Asia has remained relatively resilient. This is supported by structural factors such as multi-year investment cycles in artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors, improvements in corporate governance in major markets, and a large population with a broad consumer base supporting domestic demand. While short-term price adjustments have occurred due to market fluctuations associated with geopolitical tensions, the fundamentals of the Asian market remain strong, and the Company believes that a recovery trend will become clear again as uncertainty recedes.

On the occasion of our 30th anniversary, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all investors who have supported the Fund, as well as to our distributors and other stakeholders. We will continue to leverage our global management system and deep knowledge of the Asian market to meet medium- to long-term asset formation needs.

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**Click here for details on the "Asia Future Growth Equity Fund"** https://www.barings.com/ja-jp/individual/funds/barings-japan-funds/asia-manufacturing-fund

**Barings Japan Co., Ltd.** Kyobashi Edogrand, 2-2-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0031 https://www.barings.com/ja-jp/individual/ Financial Instruments Business Operator: Kanto Local Finance Bureau (Kinsho) No. 396 Member Associations: The Investment Trusts Association, Japan, Japan Investment Advisers Association