Blackstone Makes First Hire for Japan Private Credit Origination

Blackstone Inc. made its first hire to focus on private credit origination in Japan, joining rivals including KKR & Co. to tap a fast-growing market for the global $1.7 trillion industry.

The world’s largest alternative asset manager brought on Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s Mao Ito as a principal for its credit and insurance business in Japan, according to people familiar with the matter, who requested not to be named because the information is private.

The Japanese market has become a vital source of money for private credit funds, as investors from high-net-worth individuals to insurers allocate more into the ...