There are few things that foreign investors love about Japan these days but Orix is one of them. The diversified financial services group, the largest general leasing group and a big lender to small and medium-sized companies, has an investor base that is nearly 60 per cent foreign.

They have been attracted to Orix for its ability to generate income. Net profits climbed to within a whisker of Y200bn ($21bn) in 2007 and until last year it was producing double-digit returns on equity.