Provisional translation

Press Conference by Kaoru Yosano, Minister of Finance and Minister for Financial Services and Economic and Fiscal Policy

(Excerpt)

April 10, 2009

[Questions and Answers]

Q.

Expectations are growing that all major banks will announce losses. What do you think of this prospect and how do you view major banks’ apparent reluctance to increase their capital with public funds, as you yourself suggested?

A.

As for your first question, as the banking industry has been writing off cumulative losses built up after the collapse of the economic bubble and paying little tax, it is not surprising that they slipped into the red. I suppose that they are actively writing off various items.

Even a bank is just an organization made up of ordinary people, not special people.

(End)