Message from the Governor & CEO

Roles and Mission of Japan Finance Corporation

Exercise of Safety Net Functions

Amid the normalization of socioeconomic activities following the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses continue to face a challenging operating environment due to natural disasters, price hikes, labor shortages, and the impact of U.S. policy trends.
　Currently, many businesses that utilized COVID-19 related loans are in the repayment phase. In response, JFC has implemented initiatives focused on business improvement and revitalization, including support measures aimed at easing the burden of repayment on existing debt. To this end, we have cooperated extensively with each region’s private financial institutions. The future outlook remains unclear, but we are stepping up collaboration with private financial institutions, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Societies of Commerce and Industry, and others, working with all supporting organizations to prop up businesses in order to provide them with effective financial support, as well as to bolster and restructure their financial foundations.

Future Measures

With a strong awareness of its role as a policy-based financial institution, JFC will create frameworks that can respond to any crisis, including natural disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons, pandemics, and changes in the business environment due to economic circumstances, and consistently implement safety net functions in any situation.
　Additionally, we will perform our risk-taking function and continue to focus our efforts on supporting business fields that need prioritized support, including business foundation, start-ups, new businesses, business revitalization, business succession, overseas expansion, sustainable growth of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, and social business, thereby contributing to the growth and development of the local economy while supporting businesses that are willing to take on challenges.

(Support for business foundation, start-ups, and new businesses)

JFC has actively supported business foundation, start-ups, and new businesses through pioneering efforts in the area of start-up support. Some of these companies have later been listed on the stock exchange after doing business with JFC and have become leading forces in the Japanese economy. Start-ups are positively impacting society in terms of economic growth and job creation while also becoming the solution to new social issues. We will continue collaborating with private financial institutions, venture capitals, universities, etc. to provide financial support while organizing business matching and other events to support growth.

(Support for business succession)

In Japan, business succession has become an urgent issue due to the aging of management personnel and other factors. To provide support for business succession in fields critical to local regions, we will enhance our information-collecting abilities and identify key needs—acting as a bridge linking local hopes to the next generation. We will also collaborate with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Societies of Commerce and Industry, and other relevant organizations in each region to conduct initiatives such as business matching.

(Support for overseas expansion)

For business operators, overseas expansion not only links the growth of the global economy to that of their companies but is also important for diversifying risks and contributing to the resilience of the business. JFC supports business operators aiming for growth through overseas expansion and market development through both financial and informational means and will continue to expand its circle of support organizations to help resolve issues faced by businesses pursuing overseas expansion.

(Support for sustainable growth of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries businesses)

In recent years, there has been growing emphasis on achieving both a stable food supply and the sustainable development of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries businesses while also addressing global environmental concerns.
　At the same time, the business outlook remains uncertain for many operators due to persistently high feed and fertilizer prices, as well as wage increases in response to the worsening labor shortage. In response to these changes in the business environment, JFC is committed to supporting the sustainable growth of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries businesses by providing financial support and assistance in developing sales channels, including efforts such as promoting crop-livestock collaboration and the use of smart agriculture technologies.

(Service improvement and local community support)

JFC will continue working in collaboration with relevant organizations to help resolve the challenges faced by local communities and businesses by organizing seminars and business meetings, as well as providing business matching support utilizing its nationwide network of 152 branches. In particular, to address the issue of labor shortages, JFC will also focus on gathering information and providing guidance on the actual status of business activities that utilize foreign human resources, alongside efforts to improve productivity through the promotion of DX.

Going forward, JFC will continue to provide broad-ranging support so that businesses can view environmental changes as opportunities for growth and become a source of vitality for industry in each region. We sincerely hope for your further understanding and support in the future.