Since April 2010, Hyakugo Bank has been implementing its medium-term management plan, “Soaring toward 2012: Becoming an Excellent Regional Bank.” Our basic strategies in this plan are “Customer- and community-oriented management,” “Enhance sales capabilities,” “Focus on operating efficiency,” “Strengthen management,” and “Enhance Group cooperation.” We are taking a number of initiatives to grow with the region.

This feature focuses on our initiatives to strengthen overseas business support, enhance and restructure our branch network, strengthen support for health care and nursing care businesses, and establish new outlets of Hyakugo Securities.

Stronger Overseas Business Support

Hyakugo Bank established the International Division in April 2010 to meet customer needs related to overseas business development and expansion. By utilizing our representative offices in Shanghai and Singapore, we provide customers with information on China and Southeast Asia and assist customers when they set up overseas operations as well as offering advice and proposals on import and export trading business.

In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, we joined with other banks to hold seminars, trade fairs and other events for setting up overseas operations and expanding sales channels. In November 2010, we helped our customers participate in the Thailand-Japan Business Matching program sponsored by KASIKORNBANK in Bangkok, Thailand. Since April 2011, we have dispatched an assistant manager to KASIKORNBANK to further strengthen customer support in tandem with our overseas representative offices.

Enhancement and Restructuring of Our Branch Network

In October 2010, we opened Toyota Branch as our sixteenth branch in Aichi Prefecture. Toyota Branch offers our Do-Nichi Banking service, which allows individual customers to consult with us on loans and asset management, open new deposit accounts, make deposits and withdrawals and conduct other teller transactions on Saturdays and Sundays. This branch also has fully automated safe-deposit boxes accessible even on weekends, and has set up a children’s corner so that customers with young children can give their full attention to discussing housing loans and other matters with us.

Toyota Branch

In October 2011, we will close Tsunishi Branch and integrate it into Tsushinmachi Branch. Because these two branches are close to each other, concentrating their staff and functions in one location will allow us to deploy resources more efficiently. In addition to the integration, the branch will move to a new building that will enable us to provide even higher quality services.

Stronger Support for Health Care and Nursing Care Businesses

To support health care businesses, we have assigned specialized staff – two in Mie Prefecture and one in Aichi Prefecture – to provide general consulting related to health care, centered on support for opening clinics.

In April 2010, we also assigned specialized staff to handle support for nursing care, which has become an essential service in the communities we serve because of the rapidly aging population. We help customers undertaking nursing care businesses draw up business plans and support their stable management over the long term.

New Outlets of Hyakugo Securities

Hyakugo Securities Company Limited, part of the Hyakugo Group, opened for business in March 2010. It opened outlets in Hyakugo Bank’s Ise Branch in September 2010, Yokkaichiekimae Branch in November 2010, and Kuwana Branch in June 2011, for a total of four outlets including the head office. Hyakugo Securities continues to expand its network of outlets, and is strengthening cooperation with Hyakugo Bank to create a structure that enables us to provide one-stop services that meet customers’ diversifying asset management needs. By providing new asset management approaches and sophisticated securities services, Hyakugo Securities will raise the Hyakugo Group’s overall level of customer satisfaction.