The Atlantis Japan Growth Fund (AJG) board has announced that it has agreed heads of terms for a proposed combination of its assets with those of Nippon Active Value Fund (NAVF). The proposal is intended to address AJG’s relatively small size – current assets under management (AUM) total c £78m ¬– and follows recent disappointing relative performance. The combination, which is subject to the approval of the shareholders of both AJG and NAVF, offers AJG shareholders ongoing exposure to the attractive investment opportunities available in the Japanese market, especially among cash-rich smaller companies. They may also benefit from the expertise of NAVF’s managers. NAVF has been the top-performing Japanese fund since its inception in February 2020 and its managers have over 30 years’ experience as active managers in this market. The proposal also includes the option for AJG’s shareholders to realise a portion of their cash if desired. The enlarged NAVF will offer all shareholders greater liquidity, as well as a likely reduction in ongoing costs.