Japan

Capital / Liquidity

Japan Banks Face Asset Risks, but No Change in Outlook – Moody’s

By Garima Chitkara | 17/10/2018

Japanese banks face profitability pressures and asset risks, even as liquidity and capitalisation remain robust, the ratings agency said.

Japan’s Suruga Bank Ordered to Halt Property Lending

By Manesh Samtani | 08/10/2018

The bank was found to have extended inappropriate loans to businesses related to its founding members based on falsified proof of income and assets.

AML / KYC

Japan FSA Prioritises AML Measures Ahead of FATF Peer Review

By Editors | 01/10/2018

The FSA will conduct on-site inspections at financial institutions over the next 12 months, hoping to clean up its image with the FATF before it hosts the G20 summit next year.

Crypto / Digital Assets

UPDATED – SBI-Ripple JV Receives E-Payments Regulatory Approval

By Garima Chitkara | 28/09/2018

In Japan, SBI Ripple Asia’s new MoneyTap app will enable real time payments through bank accounts, phone numbers and QR codes.

Crypto / Digital Assets

Japan FSA Probes $60mn Hack at Crypto Exchange

By Manesh Samtani | 24/09/2018

About two-thirds of the stolen cryptocurrency belonged to customers of the exchange platform Zaif, which will receive a cash infusion from Fisco Digital Asset Group to help repay them.

Enforcement

OSE, TSE Discipline MUFG Brokerage Unit for JGB Futures Manipulation

By Editors | 21/09/2018

Latest disciplinary action follows a FSA fine earlier this year, after a dealer manipulated the JGB futures market using the firm’s proprietary trading account.

Market Infrastructure

CFTC Swaps Reform to Give Deference to Foreign Regulators

By Manesh Samtani | 12/09/2018

The CFTC’s approach to swaps regulation to date has been an over-expansive assertion of its jurisdiction, said its chairman Christopher Giancarlo in Japan this week.

AML / KYC

Japanese Banks in Process of Closing Yakuza-Related Bank Accounts

By Garima Chitkara | 06/09/2018

According to a survey of Japanese banks, around half the members are in the process of closing bank accounts belonging to gang members, with 1300 accounts closed as of May; 4300 such accounts still remain in the banking system.

Big Picture

Increased Use of Futures in Asset Management Could Adversely Impact Market – Kuroda

By Garima Chitkara | 05/09/2018

Increased use of futures in ETFs and investment trusts, while desirable to deepen futures market, has the potential to create correlation and contagion risks among asset classes where none existed before.