The ghost of Koizumi!

The privatization of the Japanese Postal Bank continues unabated, if very, very slowly. 10 years after Prime Minister Koizumi pushed the privatization through the government, it looks like it might finally happen. 郵政民営化委、金融 ２社新事業の審査本 格化

日本郵政は２９日、２０１５年秋に同社 の株式を上場する計画を政府の郵政民営化 委員会に示した。計画を踏まえ、民営化委 は日本郵政傘下のゆうちょ銀行と、かんぽ 生命保険の金融２社が申請した新規事業の 本格審査に入る。

計画は、政府が１００％持つ日本郵政株 式について「３年以内をめどとし、上場可 能となるよう体制整備を図る」と明記。市 況を見て順次売却するとした。金融２社 の株式の扱いは売却時期などを盛り込ま ず、「（日本郵政の）株式の２分の１の処 分までに方針の明確化」とだけ示した。

民営化委の西室泰三委員長は記者会見 で、日本郵政株の価値への影響を避けるた め、「（計画に金融２社の株式売却日程 を）出せない現状は理解できる」と述べ た。学資保険、住宅ローンなどの順番で新 規事業の審査を進めていくとし、年内に結 論が出る可能性を示した。

http://www.asahi.com/business/update/1029/TKY201210290396.html

Postal Savings Privatization Committee, 2 financial companies formalize review of new operations

Japan Post submitted its plan for initial public offering of stock in the fall of 2015 to the Postal Privatization Committee on the 29 th . Based on this plan, the Privatization Committee begins formal review of the newly established operations proposed for the two Japan Post subsidiaries, JP Bank and JP Life Insurance.

The plan is for the government, which holds 100% of Japan Post’s stock, to complete preparations for a public stock offering within 3 years with the aim of an orderly sale of stock dependent on market conditions. The actual timing for sale of the two companies’ stock is not included in the plan but only the “definition of a policy to sell up to half of the stock (of Japan Post).”

Taizou Nishimura, chairman of the Privatization Committee, said in an interview that, in order to avoid impacting the value of Japan Post stock, “It is understandable why (the date of sale of the 2 companies’ stock) wasn’t included in the plan.” Saying that they will review the new operations in order, including educational insurance and home loans, he indicated that a conclusion could be reached by year’s end.