Japan finance minister: economic growth potential may warrant review of pension asset mix

TOKYO, July 16 : Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Thursday that an increase in the economy's growth potential stemming from a shift in government policy could warrant changes to the asset allocations of the nation's state pension funds.The Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) "reviews its portfolio and asset allocation appropriately and in a timely manner every fiscal year," Katayama told parliament."Naturally, the assumptions underlying those reviews include factors such as the economy's potential growth rate, particularly as the government's policies seek to create a major turning point by placing considerable emphasis on investment." Katayama's remarks last week about encouraging pension funds, including the GPIF, to invest more in local assets sent the yen and Ja