Last year, JBA and its member banks implemented various measures to secure customer and societal confidence in banks and to ensure the economy shifted “from recovery to growth.” Banks become safe and reliable professional financial partners to obtain further support from the public. JBA will diligently tackle the following two tasks this year to achieve these objectives.
Our first task is to ensure customer safety and confidence and realize enhanced banking convenience and advanced compatibility, in providing financial services.
The banking industry has initiated necessary measures to help banks comprehend and prepare for the Financial Instrument and Exchange Law put into effect in September 2007 to ensure bank compliance with the law. This year we need to enhance our ability to converse with customers while maintaining a high level of customer protection.
In December 2007, the ban on selling insurance products at bank counters was fully lifted, and the key items for banks to comply with the laws and prepare responsible sales systems were clearly indicated. Fully observing these, we need to create a business environment this year where customers can safely purchase various financial products at banks.
Our second task is to steadily promote deregulation and system reforms to enhance the efficiency, vigor and internationalization of Japanese financial markets.
We expect banks to smoothly provide high-quality services that are fully competitive internationally, and we will make sure to follow-up on the development of the review of regulations concerning the firewall between banking and securities businesses and on the business scope of banking groups. We will also actively and occasionally submit opinions on postal reform and policy finance reform to achieve fruitful results befitting the purpose of the reforms.
Member banks are also expanding activities in the area of environmental financial products/services and participating in CSR activities. JBA intends to continue actively taking steps to reduce electricity consumption and cooperate with promoting the“Team - 6%” campaign.
I intend to steadfastly work on building foundations so that banks five or ten years in the future may also play their role more perfectly and earn greater support from customers and society.
I hope that banks this year will take a great leap forward.