July 4 (Reuters) - One of Japan's top trust banks,

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank (SMTB), plans to shutter its Hong

Kong branch by June next year and move most client operations to

the Singapore office, Bloomberg News said on Friday.

The Hong Kong branch, which manages corporate, shipping, and

aviation lending, has battled rising competition from foreign

banks in recent years, making for a tougher business

environment, it added, citing people familiar with the matter.

SMTB could not be immediately reached for comment.

The Hong Kong branch was launched in 2013 to target

non-Japanese clients.

The bank will continue to operate a separate Hong Kong

subsidiary focused on investment advisory to fill demand for

asset management services, the report said.