Bringing innovation to business and society through digitalization
By persistently taking advantage of digital technology to accelerate structural reforms to our business and corporate foundations, we will create new value in business areas adjacent to finance
Digitalization initiatives
In recent years, with digitalization being a megatrend, our customers' needs have been shifting towards smartphone and cashless payment–related services, and tech firms and other non–financial companies have been entering the financial industry. We at Mizuho have also been pursuing digitalization in all areas of our business.
In order to respond swiftly to our customers' changing needs, we are leveraging our strengths and collaborating openly with other companies to meet the emerging needs of our customers (create new business) and to transform our business operations (enhance existing business and improve productivity).
Focus areas
With the flexibility of our new core banking system, we will create new business centering on strategic white space opportunities, while also enhancing our existing business and improving our productivity.
1. Create new business
We will employ digital technology to make bold, gamechanging moves, focusing on areas in which our business portfolio has been weak.
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2. Enhance existing business and improve productivity
We will apply the flexibility of our new core banking system to revising our channels and streamlining our operations.
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3. IT infrastructure facilitating the above objectives
We will endeavor to enhance our ability to adopt new technologies for implementing our business strategy while controlling the new risks that accompany digitalization.
- The cloud
- Cybersecurity
Highlights 1: Creating new business
Began offering the digital currency platform J–Coin Pay in collaboration with approximately 60 financial institutions
J–Coin Pay
In March 2019, we launched J–Coin Pay, a QR code–based smartphone payment service and digital currency platform.
Since then, approximately 60 financial institutions have joined the platform.
J–Coin Pay allows customers to make payments, send and receive transfers, and perform a range of other financial transactions all on their smartphones. Customers are also able to use the smartphone app to move funds between their J–Coin Pay accounts and their deposit accounts at financial institutions for free, anytime and anywhere.
Together with the participating financial institutions, we will continue aiming to realize a cashless society* by promoting cashless services such as J–Coin Pay.
* The Japanese government is aiming to double the cashless payments ratio to 40% by 2025 (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, "Cashless Vision," April 2018).
Mizuho Smart Business Loans to support busy executives
Mizuho Smart Business Loans
In May 2019, we launched Mizuho Smart Business Loans, an online lending service targeted at small and medium–sized enterprises. The service is the first of its kind from a Japanese megabank.
The application process is entirely online, eliminating the need for clients to visit one of our branches. The new evaluation employs AI and external data and does not require financial statements. Clients can receive a loan in as little as two business days from application.
Small and medium–sized enterprise executives often must handle multiple tasks aside from their regular business activities on their own, including their relationships with banks. They face a number of difficulties in applying for loans, such as not being able to go to the bank in person, not having time to make up an application, or not having time to wait the length of the screening process due to urgent cash flow needs. With this service, we are addressing not only these executives' business needs but also their concerns about raising funds. This is one example of our efforts to provide comprehensive solutions for our clients.
Using advanced AI for big data analysis to provide each customer with an individualized level of financing at an appropriate interest rate
J.Score
J.Score was set up in November 2016 as a joint venture by Mizuho and Softbank, and was launched to provide the first AI score–based consumer lending as a Fintech service in Japan.
By providing a score that is based on not only conventional credit information, such as employer and yearly income, but also a diverse range of data input by the customer such as personality and lifestyle information, J.Score provides users with lending at an appropriate interest rate depending on their needs. J.Score usage is increasing, and so far approximately 520,000 scores have been provided and loans totaling about JPY 20 billion have been extended (as of the end of March 2019).
In addition, J.Score has continued to expand its cutting–edge services, including a tie–up with Yahoo! Japan for usage of information services (in June 2018), and release of a mobile application (in July 2018).
Highlights 2: Enhancing existing business and improving productivity
Accelerate our initiative to transform branches into spaces for consulting utilizing digital technology
Establish next–generation branches integrating physical locations with digital solutions
We will change our branches from spaces for primarily operational processes to spaces for consulting. Specifically, we will expand spaces for life event–related consulting, incorporate tablets and other technologies, and offer consulting services integrating our strengths in banking, trust banking, and securities.
By proactively moving forward the digitalization of our operations, we will also allow customers to open accounts and make routine transactions using tablets in our branches, without paper forms or seals/signatures.
Developing and commercializing operational efficiency solutions using artificial intelligence
AOR
We have started to implement digital transformation initiatives in non–competitive areas throughout the financial sector for the purpose of providing to regional financial institutions a solution for automating data input from hand–written documents and non–standard forms, using artificial intelligence (AI), optical character recognition (OCR), and robotic process automation (RPA) technology. This solution has been dubbed "The AOR™".*
Specifically, we have started to formulate a plan for the seamless introduction of the solution in operational systems of financial institutions. The plan is being formulated through close cooperation with six regional financial institutions and NTT Data Corporation, which operates joint operations centers for financial institutions, by conducting proof–of–concept testing on The AOR™, and by working collaboratively with two companies engaged in providing services related to workflow systems in back offices. We aim to substantially improve the productivity of common operational functions in the financial industry by establishing a framework for providing the solution to regional financial institutions.
* For hand–written documents and non–standard forms, which required manual data–entry as they were difficult to automate, The AOR™ automates and streamlines overall operations through the highly accurate digitization of character information using AI, OCR, and RPA technology. Based on the results of proof–of–concept testing on requests for direct debit from accounts, manual data-entry was reduced by approximately 80%.