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Published:
Syndicated loans
Committee:
Bankingstatus:
NewThe increase in overseas investments and acquisitions by Japanese corporates has led to a significant increase in the need for syndicated loans in foreign currencies (primarily US Dollars) and to a challenge for Japanese banks to support this activity given their limited access to non-Yen currencies. Large Japanese banks are therefore advocating for a deregulation of the Money Lending Act (MLA) that would allow foreign banks without a presence or banking license in Japan to participate in non-Yen syndicated loans arranged in Japan, thereby adding liquidity to this market and facilitating the arrangement of such loans. This is currently prohibited under the MLA which only allows participation in such loans to foreign financial institutions with established branches and licenses in Japan. In summer 2024, the FSA launched a Working Group (WG) to discuss this request and released an interim report in early 2025, based on which further discussions are expected. From the standpoint of foreign banks operating in Japan, while such deregulation may benefit those who are strong in the arrangement of syndicated loans by allowing access to a broader pool of potential lenders outside Japan, it may also threaten the level playing field for foreign banks focusing on participation who complied with existing regulations and established a domestic presence and banking licenses in Japan.
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Published:
Harmonisation of fixed microwave regulation
Committee:
Telecommunications Equipmentstatus:
NewThe MIC working group for 6/7 GHz microwave equipment is concluding that the regulation for antennas will be relaxed and will fulfil the ETSI standard of Class 3 and 4 antennas in Japan. This is very important for the users of microwave in 6/7 GHz bands. However, the regulation for interference is very complexed and the requirement for IRF (Interference Reduction Factor) will not be relaxed and a consequence of this there are no microwave short haul products based on ETSI standard available for Japan.
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Published:
Dispatch services
Committee:
Human Resourcesstatus:
NewDispatch services are today a common feature of the Japanese labour market. Many companies use dispatch services to deal with sudden increases in demand, and also to find the right talent. There are, however, some limitations to the services that companies in this sector can provide.