Morgan Stanley named Yoshihiko Shigenari head of private equity in Japan to expand the company's $6.5 billion in global equity investments.

Shigenari, 49, now cohead of investment banking in Japan, will begin the new job July 1, the brokerage said.

Morgan Stanley, the second-biggest U.S. securities firm, is expanding its private equity business in Asia and has invested in Belle International Holdings Ltd. in China, Ssangyong Corp. in South Korea and CTCI Corp. in Taiwan.