Few studies have investigated whether Japanese banks affiliated with bank holding companies are more efficient and profitable than independent banks. The present paper tests this hypothesis by using both a stochastic frontier approach and a market valuation approach. First, our results suggest...

This paper aims to assess the technical efficiency of Japanese trust banks by using the stochastic distance function approach, which is suitable for analyzing complex trust banks but has never applied for Japanese trust banks. Although the trust banking industry has been one of the most...

Because of the unique corporate governance feature of mutual institutions, managers are expected to maximize their own interests at the expense of other stakeholders' interests. However, this study finds that managers of Japanese mutual banks do not behave as suggested

Because of the unique corporate governance feature of mutual institutions, managers are expected to maximize their own interests at the expense of other stakeholders’ interests. However, this study finds that managers of Japanese mutual banks do not behave as suggested.

This paper models the lobbying activity concerning a safeguard measure and applies it to the empirical analysis to see if the monitoring system on a safeguard measure is administered along with the WTO agreement or affected by political factors. The model analysis describes that there exists a...

The recent financial deregulation in Japanese banking has enabled regional banks to engage in trust businesses. This paper examines the impact of such nontraditional banking activities on cost structure by measuring economies of scale and scope. A generalized translog cost function, which can...

This study aims to identify the motivations for Japanese regional banks to expand their branch networks, and to clarify whether banks with wide networks of branches can practice region-based relationship banking. We use the data on Japanese regional banks for the Fiscal Years (FY) 2002-06, which...

We investigate the effect of strategic investors on bank efficiency in the context of regional economic development. The data on Chinese city commercial banks operating regionally are well-suited for the study. Our findings suggest that strategic investors significantly increase efficiency in...

Since 2003, the Financial Services Agency has set relationship banking enhancement program as an important strategic task to improve the functions of regional financial institutions. In this enhancement program, the FSA recommended that regional financial institutions introduce new financial...