Purchase of Own Securities

Fleming Japanese Smaller Cos IT PLC
5 December 2000

   THE FLEMING JAPANESE SMALLER COMPANIES INVESTMENT TRUST PLC
       REPURCHASE OF ORDINARY SHARES FOR CANCELLATION
                              
                              
The Fleming Japanese Smaller Companies Investment Trust plc
announces that on Monday 4th December 2000 in the market it
purchased for cancellation 75,000 ordinary shares at 286p
per share representing 0.146% of the ordinary shares in
issue.

The number of shares repurchased to date now totals
5,965,000.

The remaining shares in issue following this announcement
are 51,279,423.





5th December 2000

For further information, please contact:

L E Field  (Company Secretary)
Chase Fleming Asset Management (UK) Limited
020 7742 3426

David McLaughlin
Kleinwort Benson Securities - Stockbrokers to the Company
020 7475 6672