What’s New on the FSA Website

Week of October 27 - October 31, 2014

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

Press Conferences

October 29, 2014:	Press Conference by the Minister for Financial Services (October 28, 2014) Japanese version
October 27, 2014:	Press Conference by the Minister for Financial Services (October 24, 2014) Japanese version

Public Comments

(The following public comments are available in Japanese)

October 31, 2014:	Results of public comments on regulatory notices on the liquidity coverage ratio for internationally active banks based on Basel III «Summary» The FSA published the results of public comments on the regulatory notices on the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) for internationally active banks, and published the notices. These notices are to be implemented on March 31, 2015, and they will require internationally active banks to hold sufficient levels of LCR based on Basel III.
October 30, 2014:	Publication of a draft revision to the regulatory notice designating transactions and lending/borrowing to be excluded from the transactions subject to the regulations on "Financial Instruments Obligation Assumption Business" «Summary» The FSA proposed a draft revision to the regulatory notice designating transactions and lending/borrowing to be excluded from the transactions subject to the regulations on "Financial Instruments Obligation Assumption Business" based on the "Order for Enforcement of the Financial Instrument and Exchange Act." The revision aims to extend the applicable period of the current regulatory notice.
October 27, 2014:	Publication of draft amendments to the "Cabinet Office Ordinance on Disclosure Required for Tender Offer for Share Certificates, etc. by Person Other than Issuer" «Summary» The FSA proposed the draft amendments to the "Cabinet Office Ordinance on Disclosure Required for Tender Offer for Share Certificates, etc. by Person Other than Issuer." The amendments aim to simplify the description in Tender Offer Notification such as the information on the planned transferee.

Press Releases

(The Following press releases are available in English)

International

October 28, 2014:	Keynote Speech by Mr. Masamichi Kono, Vice Minister for International Affairs, Financial Services Agency, at the 2014 World Federation of Exchanges (WFE) General Assembly & Annual Meeting (October 28, 2014)

Others

October 31, 2014:	Announcement of personnel changes (announced October 31, 2014)

(The Following press releases are available in Japanese)

Councils

October 29, 2014:	Publication of the agenda and handouts of the third meeting of the Study Group on Payments and Transaction Banking of the Financial System Council «Summary» The FSA published the agenda and handouts of the third meeting of the Study Group on Payments and Transaction Banking of the Financial System Council, which was held on October 29, 2014.
October 29, 2014:	The third meeting of the Working Group on Investment Management of the Financial System Council to be held on November 6, 2014 «Summary» On November 6, 2014, the FSA will hold the third meeting of the Working Group on Investment Management of the Financial System Council.
October 28, 2014:	Publication of the agenda and handouts of the plenary meeting of the Business Accounting Council «Summary» The FSA published the agenda and handouts of the plenary meeting of the Business Accounting Council, which was held on October 28, 2014.

Banks

October 31, 2014:

Information sharing of cases regarding unauthorized use of bank accounts «Summary» The FSA provides information regarding unauthorized use of bank accounts to relevant financial institutions and law enforcement authorities. The FSA and local finance bureaus provided information on 335 cases in total between July 1 and September 30, 2014. The total number of cases has reached 41,961 since September 2003.

October 31, 2014:

Publication of the figures regarding suspended repayment following the Great East Japan Earthquake (as of July 31, 2014) «Summary» The FSA published the number of debtors and the amount of debts of which the contractual repayment has been suspended following the Great East Japan Earthquake. The data was collected through hearings with financial institutions in the three prefectures that were most heavily damaged by the earthquake (Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima).

Securities

October 31, 2014:

Administrative penalty charge against an individual for manipulating stocks of Kawaguchi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. «Summary» On October 30, 2014, the FSA issued an order to impose an administrative penalty charge against an individual for market manipulation regarding the stocks of Kawaguchi Chemical Industry Co. Ltd.

October 31, 2014:

Administrative penalty charge against Stats Investment Management Co., Ltd. for committing insider trading regarding the stocks of INPEX CORPORATION «Summary» On October 30, 2014, the FSA issued an order to impose an administrative penalty charge against Stats Investment Management Co., Ltd. for committing insider trading regarding the stocks of INPEX CORPORATION. The defendant is prosecuted for committing insider trading by using the information received from an employee of a company in contract negotiations with INPEX CORPORATION.

Others

October 31, 2014:	Publication of the agenda and handouts of the fifth meeting of the Council of Experts Concerning the Corporate Governance Code «Summary» The FSA and Tokyo Stock Exchange published the agenda and handouts of the fifth meeting of the Council of Experts Concerning the Corporate Governance Code, which was held on October 31, 2014.
October 31, 2014:	Activities of the Counseling Office for Financial Services Users in 2014-3Q «Summary» The FSA’s Counseling Office for Financial Services Users offers counseling service in response to inquiries and comments from financial services users. From May 23, 2014, the counseling office expanded its operation to provide ex-ante counseling services for financial services users for their precaution. In the third quarter of 2014 (between July 1 and September 30, 2014), the counseling office received 10,396 inquiries and comments, almost as many as the 10,121 cases in the previous quarter (between April 1 and June 30, 2014). Among them, 643 cases were received through newly introduced ex-ante consulting services.
October 31, 2014:	Update on measures taken in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake (as of October 31, 2014) «Summary» The FSA provided an update on the current status of measures taken by the FSA, local finance bureaus, and financial institutions in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake.
October 31, 2014:	Facilitation scheme for the online government procedures «Summary» The FSA published a facilitation scheme for the online government procedures. It is based on the facilitation policy to increase the convenience of the online government procedures decided at the meeting of the Chief Information Officers of government institutions on April 1, 2014.
October 31, 2014:	Updated list of issuers of gift certificates in repayment procedures based on the "Payment Services Act" «Summary» The FSA updated the list of issuers who are repaying, have completed repaying or have announced the termination of use of prepaid payment instruments, as defined in the "Payment Services Act" (e.g. gift vouchers, gift certificates, and prepaid cards).
October 31, 2014:	Updated statistics of money lending business «Summary» The FSA updated the statistics regarding the money lending business, as of September 30, 2014.
October 30, 2014:	“Symposium to improve financial literacy (knowledge and judgment skills)” to be held in Fukuoka «Summary» On November 27, 2014, the FSA and Fukuoka Local Finance Bureau will jointly hold the "Symposium to improve financial literacy (knowledge and judgment skills)" in Fukuoka. The symposium is aimed to encourage each person to enhance financial knowledge and judgment skills to improve household management and life-planning, and to lead an economically independent and better life.
October 29, 2014:	Administrative action against Kudan Audit Corporation «Summary» The FSA issued an administrative order to Kudan Audit Corporation, requiring the firm to improve its operation, pursuant to "Article 34-21(2)(iii) of the Certified Public Accountants Act." The FSA had investigated the firm following a recommendation from the Certified Public Accountants and Auditing Oversight Board and confirmed that the firm's operations require improvement.