Partner up or perish: Why Japan’s regional banks are racing to consolidate

New tie-ups in Tohoku and Kansai highlight growing pressure on Japan's regional banks to defend deposits and cut costs.

A fresh round of consolidation among Japan's regional banks is gathering momentum as shrinking populations, intensifying competition for deposits and rising technology costs push smaller lenders towards mergers and alliances.

Three banks in northeastern Japan - Aomori Michinoku Bank, Bank of Iwate and Akita Bank - announced on October 2 that they had agreed to begin discussions on a business integration targeted for April 2028.

¬ Haymarket Media Limited. All rights reserved.

Sign in to read on!

Registered users get 2 free articles in 30 days.

Subscribers have full unlimited access to FinanceAsia.

Not signed up? New users get 2 free articles per month, plus a 7-day unlimited free trial.

Questions?
See here for more information on licences and prices, or contact [email protected].