What’s New on the FSA Website

Week of July 13 – July 17, 2015

This page contains the latest in events, developments, and updates to the FSA website.

Press Conferences

July 15, 2015:	Press Conference by the Minister for Financial Services (July 14, 2015) (Available in Japanese)
July 14, 2015:	Press Conference by the Minister for Financial Services (July 10, 2015) Japanese version

Public Comments

(The following public comments are available in Japanese)

July 14, 2015:	Publication of the updated “Cabinet Office Ordinance on Prepaid Payment Instruments” «Summary» The FSA finalized the amendment to the “Cabinet Office Ordinance on Prepaid Payment Instruments.” The amendment clarifies that the refund on prepaid payment instruments is treated as exempt in the case where a foreign tourist who owns a prepaid payment instrument leaves Japan. The Cabinet Office Ordinance has been enforced since July 17, 2015.
July 14, 2015:	Publication of the updated "Order for Enforcement of the Money Lending Business Act" «Summary» The FSA finalized the amendment to the "Order for Enforcement of the Money Lending Business Act." The amendment clarifies that a cash advance taken by a non-resident, such as a visitor from abroad, through an ATM by using his/her foreign-issued credit card, is exempted from the regulation of the “Money Lending Business Act.” The Order has been enforced since July 17, 2015.
July 13, 2015:	Publication of the regulatory notice designating yen interest rate swap transactions that are subject to the use of electronic trading platforms pursuant to Article 125-7(1) of the “Cabinet Office Ordinance on Financial Instruments Business” «Summary» The FSA finalized the regulatory notice designating yen interest rate swap transactions that are subject to the mandatory use of electronic trading platforms (SEF: swap execution facilities) pursuant to Article 125-7(1) of the “Cabinet Office Ordinance on Financial Instruments Business,” following the amendment in 2012 to the “Financial Instruments and Exchange Act,” which obligates financial instrument business operators to use electronic trading platforms for specified OTC derivative transactions. The regulatory notice will be applied from September 1, 2015.

Press Releases

(The following press releases are available in English)

Councils

July 17, 2015:	The first meeting of the Working Group on Payments and Transaction Banking of the Financial System Council (July 23rd, 2015)
July 13, 2015:	Publication of the Report on the “Working Group on Investment Management” of the Financial System Council

Others

July 17, 2015:	Updated list of issuers of gift certificates in repayment procedures based on the "Payment Services Act"

(The following press releases are available in Japanese)

Securities

July 17, 2015:	Updated list of qualified institutional investors engaging in specially permitted businesses who provided false information to their customers (Kanto Local Finance Bureau) «Summary» The FSA (Kanto Local Finance Bureau) issued a warning to a qualified institutional investor engaging in specially permitted businesses who provided false information to their customers.
July 17, 2015:	Updated list of entities that are operating financial instruments businesses without proper registration (Tohoku Local Finance Bureau) «Summary» The FSA (Tohoku Local Finance Bureau) issued warnings to entities that are operating financial instruments businesses without proper registration.

Others

July 17, 2015:

Announcement of personnel changes (announced July 17, 2015)

July 15, 2015:

Event for the improvement of financial literacy «Summary» From September 3 to 5, 2015, the FSA will hold a free-of-charge event in Tokyo for the improvement of financial literacy. The event includes a keynote speech and consultation sessions on household budget management and life planning, as well as seminars aimed at introducing asset management with NISA and the important points regarding insurance contracts.