Press Conference by Yuji Yamamoto, Minister for Financial Services

(Excerpt)

May 15, 2007

Q.

For the year to March 2007, major banks' financial statements will begin to emerge this weekend. Industrial companies' financial statement announcements will peak today. My first question is about your focus of attention regarding banks' financial statements. Another is about the overall economic trend. Financial statement announcements by companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange will peak today before January-March gross domestic product data are released later this week. Would you discuss these as well?

A.

I believe corporate earnings are generally robust. My focus of attention regarding earnings at major banks is their profit on core banking operations. I will pay attention to such profit data as well as other operating profit, with the expectation to see some indications about future developments. Regarding the economic trend, the unemployment rate and the ratio of effective job offers to seekers have indicated a firm economy. In some regions, however, economic recovery has not been sufficient. I think the government will have to carefully study more regional economic improvement and promotion measures.

(End)

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