(May 13): Two regional banks in central Japan are planning to integrate their operations, people familiar with the matter said, as a long-anticipated industry consolidation pick up pace.
The deal between Aichi Financial Group Inc and San ju San Financial Group Inc will create a regional banking group with total assets worth over ¥11.6 trillion yen, the people said, asking not to be named before an official disclosure. The firms are expected to announce this later on Wednesday, said one of the people.
In separate filings with the stock exchange, Aichi and San ju San said their boards respectively made a decision on the integration earlier in the day. The banks said they will make an announcement soon. Shares of the two firms were suspended from trading after the integration plan was first reported by public broadcaster NHK.
Before the trading suspension, San ju San shares rose as much as 8.3% before paring some gains. Shares of Aichi, where Japanese hedge fund Ariake Capital Inc has built more than a 10% stake, jumped as much as 6.2%. Ariake Capital said in April when it reported its shareholding increase in Aichi that it may make important proposals to the company.
Japan has been seeing a wave of regional bank deals, with potentially more consolidation to come by banks and their neighbouring rivals. Lenders are under growing pressure to map out their future amid the country’s shrinking population and intensifying fight for deposits in a rising rate environment.
In March, Bank of Nagoya Ltd, which shares the same home market as Aichi, reached an agreement with bigger rival Shizuoka Financial Group Inc to consolidate their operations under a holding company.
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