Toshiharu Morota Deutsche Securities

Vaulting from runner-up to second place is Deutsche Securities’ Toshiharu Morota. One money manager credits the analyst with “unstinting comprehensibility, particularly in in-depth thematic work.” For example, in September, Morota issued a 120-page assessment of the current state of Japan’s energy industry — liquefied natural gas, smart grids and so forth — in which he reiterated a buy rating on JGC Corp., at ¥2,045. Dubbing the Kanagawa-based design and engineering company a leader in the development of LNG facilities, he cited its large order backlog as a cushion against the recession. From his reiteration through February, the stock advanced 15.1 percent, to ¥2,353. Morota did not respond to repeated requests for interviews, and Deutsche Securities declined to answer questions on his behalf. — Ben Mattlin