What's driving Japan's historic bull market? And why are global investors finally returning to Tokyo after years on the sidelines? According to Goldman Sachs, it’s a rare convergence of factors including the global AI trade, inflation, corporate governance reform and an evolving macroeconomic landscape.

The firm also believes a regime shift is underway in the market, moving focus away from the high-growth, asset-light sectors such as software that dominated the past decade. Instead, they highlight a transition into "HALO" stocks: heavy assets, low obsolescence. These capital-intensive sectors, such as utilities and telecommunications, offer defensive barriers that can protect against AI disruption and geopolitical friction.

Bruce Kirk, chief Japan equity strategist at Goldman Sachs, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast to unpack these trends and discuss the implications of Japan's changing market dynamics.