Japan’s biggest regional bank wants to hire experts who can help it invest in riskier assets.
Like other listed Japanese companies, Fukuoka Financial Group is facing pressure from policymakers to boost returns for shareholders. At the same time, investors are watching whether lenders increase their purchases of Japanese government bonds (JGBs), helping make up for reduced buying of debt by the Bank of Japan as it moves away from ultraeasy monetary policy.
“In the past, the priority for investments was being safe and stable,” said Hisashi Goto, president of Fukuoka Financial, based in the largest city in the Kyushu region. “But investors are demanding profitability and efficient use of capital. So, we take appropriate risk and seek profits.”