This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"Matthews Asia Pacific Equity Income (MAPIX) is my top no-load fund pick for 2009," says leading mutual fund expert Mark Salzinger.

In his The No-Load Fund Investor, the advisor explains, "Though most investors do not associate Pacific-Rim investments with high-dividend yields, this $80-million fund could change their perception.

"Matthews Asia Pacific Equity Income was recently offering investors a dividend yield of approximately 5%.

"Managers Jesper Madsen and Andrew Foster seek to fill this fund with dividend-paying stocks of companies throughout the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, China/Hong Kong, Taiwan and recently at least eight other Asian countries.

"Though dividends have not protected investors in American stocks from the carnage so far in 2008, they appear to have reduced losses for investors in Asian equities.

The land of the rising sun may be the investor's best bet as a land of rising stock prices, according to a trio of leading advisors.

Japan's current economic expansion is now over 60 months and running, making it the longest expansion in that country in the postwar period according to global advisor expert Carl Delfeld. He says, "Investors should not underestimate Japan's potential - it may be the best growth story in Asia."

The editor of Chartwell Advisor explains, Japanese stocks took a breather in 2006 -- rising 5.5% -- after gaining 35% in 2003, 15% in 2004 and 25% in 2005.

Despite these gains, he notes that the Japanese market is still 60% below its 1989 peak. Is it time to catch up? He says, "Investors should not underestimate Japan's potential - it may be the best growth story in Asia."

Indeed, while many see Xhina as the more exciting growth play, he says, "Japanese companies have long tentacles in emerging Asia, with especially strong networks in Southeast Asia. Plus, in Japan, there is a mountain of cash sitting on the sidelines. Even if just a small amount moves into equities, it will ignite some handsome returns."

Among individual stocks, he likes Kyocera (NYSE:KYO), a large multinational with products and markets that span electronics, fiber optics, and wireless. For broad exposure to the Japanese market, he recommends the iShares Japan ETF (ASE:EWJ), which tracks the MSCI Japan index, which is made up of 350 companies.