千葉ちば銀ぎんと千葉ちば興銀こうぎん 統合とうごうで調整ちょうせい 国内こくない有数ゆうすうの地銀ちぎんグループへ

It has been revealed that Chiba Bank, one of the leading regional banks in Japan, is moving forward with plans to merge management with Chiba Kogyo Bank, which is also located in the same prefecture.

If realized, it will become one of the leading regional bank groups in Japan, with deposits approaching 20 trillion yen. As competition intensifies in a world with interest rates, the focus will be on whether consolidation among regional banks will further accelerate in the future.

According to sources, Chiba Bank, the leading regional bank in Chiba Prefecture in terms of deposit volume, is moving forward with plans to integrate management with Chiba Kogyo Bank, the third largest in the prefecture, including the possibility of making it a wholly owned subsidiary.

Chiba Bank, in March of this year, acquired 19% of the shares of Chiba Kogyo Bank.

They had acquired 9% and become the largest shareholder, but it is believed that the business integration aims to rapidly expand their business base, strengthen the acquisition of deposits and financial services for the region, and improve management efficiency.

As of March this year, Chiba Bank’s deposit balance was 16.26 trillion yen, making it one of the top regional banks in the country, while Chiba Kogyo Bank’s deposits stood at 2.87 trillion yen. Combined, their deposits exceed 19 trillion yen. If the integration is realized, it will create one of Japan’s leading regional bank groups, following the Fukuoka Financial Group, centered on Fukuoka Bank, and the Concordia Financial Group, which includes Yokohama Bank.

With the Bank of Japan’s interest rate hike ushering in a “world with interest rates” in earnest, competition for deposits and lending among regional financial institutions has become even more intense.

Furthermore, there is also a need to address issues faced by local businesses, such as business succession and capital investment. Going forward, the focus will be on whether further consolidation among regional banks will continue to expand.