MAPLETREE Greater China Commercial Trust (MGCCT) is expanding its investment mandate to include Japan.

The trust manager said in a bourse filing on Tuesday that the expansion will allow MGCCT to better diversify its portfolio and enhance the manager's ability to provide balanced and long-term returns for unitholders.

"Japan has one of the largest and well-established commercial property markets in Asia-Pacific, with attractive investment characteristics," said the manager, adding that the broadening of investment mandate will build on its track record of operating a portfolio of high quality income generating commercial assets in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai.

"The manager will continue its disciplined evaluation of all acquisition opportunities, while seeking long-term sustainable yield accretive returns for unitholders," it added.

The new investment mandate of MGCCT is as follows: "MGCCT is a Singapore real estate investment trust established with the investment mandate of principally investing, directly or indirectly, in a diversified portfolio of income-producing real estate in the Greater China region and Japan which is used primarily for commercial purposes (including real estate used predominantly for retail and/or office purposes), as well as real estate-related assets."