Nippon Life Insurance Company (President: Satoshi Asahi, hereinafter “Nippon Life”) is to invest approximately 53 billion yen in the European Transition Infrastructure Finance Fund (hereinafter “the Fund”), which will be managed by DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA. (CEO: Stefan Hoops, Headquarters: Frankfurt, hereinafter “DWS”)
Towards achievement of a decarbonized society in Europe, it requires the further advancement of transition finance — a financing approach that supports industries with high greenhouse gas emissions in their efforts to reduce emissions progressively.
In response to this need, DWS has adopted the Nippon Life Transition Finance Framework*1 for the first time as the foundational basis for the formulation of a European Infrastructure Debt Transition Framework. In accordance with this framework, DWS has recently established the new Fund.
The Fund aims to extend loans to European infrastructure companies that have emission reduction plans aligned with the Paris Agreement. Through these investments, the Fund seeks to contribute to the transition towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Nippon Life acquired a stake in DWS in 2018 and, through strategic partnerships, has been working to enhance the Group’s asset management capabilities and asset management business. In light of this collaboration, DWS has established a transition fund utilizing the Nippon Life Transition Finance Framework.
Nippon Life is strengthening its responsible investment, given its mission and the public nature of the life insurance business and from the standpoint that it has always worked to coexist with the environment, community and society, and to share stable growth with the economy and other companies. Financing of this project is positioned as Nissay Impact Investing Facility*2.
Looking ahead, Nippon Life will continue to deepen its collaboration with DWS and support corporate decarbonization initiatives over the medium to long term, thereby fulfilling its role as a responsible institutional investor in both Japan and Europe.
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*1
Nippon Life Transition Finance Framework
This framework outlines evaluation criteria, rationale, and process for transition finance,
including assessment of GHG reduction plans aligned with the Paris Agreement.
For details, please refer to the following URL.
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*2
Nissay Impact Investing Facility
This facility is an investment target to create sustainability outcomes more actively, and was
established in March 2024 as part of a thematic investment.
Overview of the Fund
| 1. Name | European Transition Infrastructure Finance Fund |
|---|---|
| 2. Manager | DWS |
| 3. Strategy | A strategy that provides debt financing to European infrastructure companies and assets with emission reduction plans aligned with the Paris Agreement, supporting their efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. |
Overview of DWS
| 1. Company Name | DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA |
|---|---|
| 2. Founded | 1956 |
| 3. Nature of business | Asset management |
| 4. Head Office | Frankfurt, Germany |
| 5. Representative | CEO: Stefan Hoops |
| 6. Asset under management | EUR 1,054 billion*3 (approximately 190 trillion yen*4) |
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*3
As of the end of September 2025
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*4
1EUR=178.31 JPY (at the end of October 2025)
Sundeep Vyas, Head of Infrastructure Debt for Europe at DWS, said:
“With this new initiative anchored by Nippon Life, DWS is pleased to add another strategy to its ESG related European infrastructure debt family. The strategy will support European infrastructure assets that are not yet green but are committed to meaningful decarbonization through concrete capital expenditure programs and science-based targets, in alignment with the Paris Agreement. We are looking forward to partner with Nippon Life to expand the concept of transition finance to European infrastructure, which will support Europe in achieving its climate goals by 2050”.