TOKYO -- Daiwa Securities Group will begin a stock brokerage service in China for institutional investors as early as this month, seizing an opportunity created by Beijing's deregulation for foreign players.

The Japanese securities giant received regulatory approval in June to launch securities services via a joint venture formed in Beijing last December. This company employs about 100 people, including personnel sent from Japan.

A sales office that opened in the Chinese capital last month will work with Japanese institutional investors and other customers, proposing trades of China stocks. It also seeks to develop a Chinese customer base for trading shares listed in Hong Kong as well.

Daiwa has an investment bank segment that is already up and running, advising a Chinese client acquiring a German company in July. It also served as one of the underwriters for the initial public offering of a biopharmaceutical company in August.

The segment aims to win such deals as cross-border mergers and acquisitions in the health care and consumer sectors.