Agreement to Provide Easier Year-end Credit

The Board of Directors Meeting held on November 24 agreed banks would earnestly respond to credit needs of sound customers during the year-period to make lending smooth and available.The government has launched various policies to re-energize the economy. The Bank of Japan is also continuing its easy-money policy.Banks also have been working to ensure smoother lending by introducing various lending schemes. However, since December is a period when the credit crunch is particularly keenly felt due to a heightened need for credit among corporations, JBA reaffirmed the intent of banks to earnestly meet credit needs of sound companies.