(Provisional Translation)
March 11, 2011
Shozaburo Jimi, Minister of State for Financial Services
Masaaki Shirakawa, Governor of the Bank of Japan

Financial Measures in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011

We would like to express our heartfelt sympathy to those who were affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.

We have requested financial institutions to take flexible and appropriate financial measures as follows in accordance with the specific circumstances of the affected people.

1. Requests to financial institutions (banks, shinkin banks, credit unions, etc.)

  • (1) Allow depositors who have lost their deposit certificates and/or passbooks to make withdrawals upon the verification of their identities.

  • (2) Accept thumbprints in lieu of registered seals if depositors have lost them.

  • (3) Allow depositors, under certain circumstances, to make withdrawals of time deposits and/or installment savings prior to the maturity date, or to offer loans by using them as collateral.

  • (4) Allow the collection of overdue bills that could not be processed due to the disaster, upon negotiations with the related financial institutions.

  • (5) Give due consideration to the suspension of dishonoring bills that could not be processed due to the disaster.

  • (6) Exchange contaminated banknotes for new ones.

  • (7) Provide consultation to people who have lost government bond certificates.

  • (8) Take measures for the convenience of the affected people in a proper and timely manner, such as establishing loan consultation counters, simplifying screening procedures, streamlining lending procedures, and granting a grace period for loan repayments, in consideration of the specific circumstances of the disaster-stricken areas, including the degree of damage caused by the disaster and urgent need for funds.

  • (9) Conduct business operations on weekends/holidays and/or outside business hours when necessary.

    Take measures for the convenience of the affected people, such as repayment of deposits through automated teller machines (ATMs), while paying due attention to the safety of customers and staff, even when over-the-counter services cannot be provided at branches.

  • (10) Place a notice at each branch where measures (1) to (9) above are taken.

  • (11) Promptly make public the names of the branches that have suspended services and those that will continue with the operation of ATMs, etc., by, for example, posting notices on branches' bulletin boards and also placing such information in newspapers and on their websites, thereby thoroughly disseminating the information to customers.

2. Requests to securities companies

  • (1) Accept to the extent possible requests from customers who have lost their registered seals.

  • (2) Assist reissuance of securities by customers who have lost them.

  • (3) Accept to the extent possible requests from customers for immediate payment of the sales proceeds or cancellation money of deposited securities.

  • (4) Make public the names of the branches that have suspended services by, for example, posting notices on branches' bulletin boards and also placing such information in newspapers and on their websites, thereby thoroughly disseminating the information to customers.

  • (5) Give due consideration in responding to customers' requests.

3. Requests to life insurance companies, nonlife insurance companies, and small-amount and short-term insurance providers

  • (1) Accept to the extent possible requests from insurance policyholders who have lost their insurance policies and/or registered seals.

  • (2) Swiftly make payments to the extent possible of life insurance and nonlife insurance benefits.

  • (3) Take measures as necessary, such as extension of the grace period, in consideration of the specific circumstances of the affected insurance policyholders with regard to the payments of life insurance and/or nonlife insurance premiums.

  • (4) Make public the names of the branches that have suspended services by, for example, posting notices on branches' bulletin boards and also placing such information in newspapers and on their websites, thereby thoroughly disseminating the information to insurance policyholders.

4. Requests to fire mutual aid cooperatives

  • (1) Accept to the extent possible requests from members of mutual aid cooperatives who have lost their certificates of contracts and/or registered seals.

  • (2) Swiftly make payments to the extent possible of mutual aid money.

  • (3) Take measures as necessary, such as extension of the grace period, in consideration of the specific circumstances of the affected members with regard to the payments of mutual aid premiums.

  • (4) Make public the names of the branches that have suspended services by, for example, posting notices on branches' bulletin boards and also placing such information in newspapers and on their websites, thereby thoroughly disseminating the information to the members.

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