Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) plans to send a group to study investment opportunities in Japan this year, with an eye on possible stake in Tokyo Stock Exchange and Japanese banks, Japan's Nikkei financial daily reported on Saturday. DIFC, which Dubai set up to build a financial service hub in Dubai, is looking to strengthen its ties with Asia. Nasser Al Shaali, chief executive officer of the financial centre, told Nikkei that DIFC is interested in tie-up with markets in Far East such as Tokyo and Shanghai, the paper reported in its evening edition. The visiting officials will meet with executives at the Bank of Japan and the Ministry of Finance, the Japanese-language newspaper said.