Ad Hoc Press Conference by SUZUKI Shunichi, Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Financial Services

(Excerpt)

(Sunday, March 31, 2024, 2:09 pm to 2:20 pm)

Q.

Regarding the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in 2024, I believe that support for private-sector financial institutions is also important for regional reconstruction and for companies and individuals. What are your thoughts on that? 

A.

Regional financial institutions are very important for supporting regional economies. Provincial regions are facing population declines in the first place, so I believe that regional financial institutions are entering a period of difficult business management.
However, individual banks are making their own various efforts, including business integration. I believe that in the case of regional financial institutions, the borrower-lender relationship is really close. The relationship continues from one generation to the next in many cases. Therefore, going forward, it will be necessary for regional financial institutions to develop a framework under which they provide continuous support —not only lending money but also considering ways of improving business management together with borrowers, for example—and enable co-existence and co-prosperity between lenders and borrowers.