暴力団融資 みずほの企業統治が問われる

The Yomiuri Shimbun October 6, 2013
Mizuho Bank’s loans to gangsters show corporate governance lacking
暴力団融資　みずほの企業統治が問われる（10月5日付・読売社説）

Mizuho Bank’s handling of its latest scandal was done in an impromptu manner that shows the megabank lacks a sense of responsibility. Mizuho must swiftly regain its organizational discipline.
　メガバンクとしての責任感を欠く場当たり的な対応だ。緩んだ組織のタガを、早急に締め直さねばならない。

The Financial Services Agency issued a business improvement administrative order to the bank because it determined it had been extending loans to many members of gang organizations through affiliated firms, including the consumer credit company Orient Corp.
　みずほ銀行が、系列信販会社・オリエントコーポレーションなどを通じ、多数の暴力団員らに融資していたとして、金融庁から業務改善命令を受けた。

These loans were extended in the form of 230 so-called tie-up loans between the bank and consumer credit firms, the total value of which exceeded ¥200 million.
　これらの融資は、銀行と信販会社との提携ローンで行われていた。取引は２３０件、融資額は計２億円超にのぼるという。

The business world has been working to rid itself of the influence of criminal organizations. In spite of this, Mizuho extended a huge sum of loans to gangsters. There is simply no justification for the bank’s actions.
　経済界の取り組む暴力団排除の動きに逆行し、多額の融資をしていたのは論外である。

Mizuho Bank held a press conference on Friday, and Vice President Toshitsugu Okabe apologized for the scandal. We cannot understand why it took one week to hold the press conference after the FSA issued the business improvement order. Bank President Yasuhiro Sato himself should have appeared at the press conference to explain the reasons for the scandal, among other things.
　みずほ銀は４日、記者会見を開き、岡部俊胤副頭取が陳謝した。改善命令から記者会見まで１週間もかかったのは、理解に苦しむ。佐藤康博頭取が自ら、不祥事の理由などを説明すべきだった。

To restore the trust in the bank, Mizuho must clarify where management responsibility lies through stern internal punishments. Also, it needs to take thorough steps to determine the cause of the scandal and devise measures to prevent a recurrence.
　傷ついた信頼の回復へ、みずほ銀は厳しい社内処分で責任を明確化し、原因解明と再発防止策を徹底する必要がある。

Under the tie-up loan system, consumer credit firms receive and screen applications from customers. If they approve a loan to buy a car, for example, a bank extends the loan.
　問題になった提携ローンは、信販会社の融資審査に基づき、銀行が自動車などの購入代金を貸し付ける仕組みだ。

Left untouched for 2 years

Mizuho learned that it had lent money to gangsters during a confirmation process after the loans were extended.
　みずほ銀は融資後の確認で、暴力団員への融資を見つけた。

However, the bank did not make an appropriate response such as canceling the transactions based on the terms of loan contracts and left the problem unsolved for two years until it was pointed out by the FSA in its inspection in December last year.
　ところが、契約に基づく取引解除など適切な対応を取らず、昨年１２月の金融庁検査で指摘されるまで、２年間も放置した。

Furthermore, information on the questionable transactions went no further than executives in charge of legal compliance, including the then vice president, and did not reach top management executives. We must say that the bank’s corporate governance is defective.
　さらに、こうした経緯の情報は当時の副頭取ら法令順守担当の役員にとどまり、経営トップに伝わっていなかったという。ガバナンス（企業統治）に欠陥があると言わざるを得まい。

Other banks also deal with tie-up loans. With the latest scandal as a good lesson, banks and consumer credit companies should make utmost efforts to prevent the extension of problematic loans by, for example, sharing credit records such as lists of gangsters and gangster-related people.
　提携ローンは、みずほ以外の銀行も扱っている。今回のケースを教訓に、銀行と信販会社が暴力団関係者のリストなど信用情報を共有し、問題融資の防止に努めることが求められよう。

The Mizuho Financial Group was launched in 2000 through a management integration of three banks: Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Fuji Bank and the Industrial Bank of Japan. In July this year, the group was transformed into a one-bank system under the One Mizuho New Frontier Plan after the merger of Mizuho Bank and Mizuho Corporate Bank. The scandal has spoiled the fresh start of the banking group.
　２０００年に第一勧業、富士、日本興業の３行が経営統合して発足したみずほグループは、今年７月に１行体制の「ワンみずほ」に移行した。再スタートの出ばなをくじくつまずきだ。

A sense of rivalry still deeply rooted among Mizuho bankers from the three former banks must be behind the poor response to the scandal. It is an urgent task for the bank to reform its corporate climate into one with a smooth flow of information.
　旧３行意識がいまだに根強いことが、お粗末な対応の背景にあるのだろう。風通しのいい企業風土へ改革することが急務である。

Before the merger of the three banks, Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank received strong criticism from society over a payoff scandal involving a sokaiya corporate racketeer. And after the launch of the group, Mizuho was roundly criticized for successive large-scale system failures.
　第一勧銀時代に起こした総会屋への利益供与事件や、みずほグループ発足後に相次いだ大規模なシステム障害などは、社会から強い批判を浴びた。

As far as we can see from its response to the latest scandal, the financial group has not made use of its bitter experiences. This time, it must listen sincerely to the harsh criticisms of society for the sake of management reform.
　今回の対応を見る限り、苦い経験を生かしたとは思えない。今度こそ厳しい声を真摯(しんし)に受け止め、経営改革につなげるべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 5, 2013)
（2013年10月5日01時26分 読売新聞）