Latest Japan Headlines
All the headlines from our Japan Topic Page, ordered by recency.
S&P Reports on Japan Non-Life Sector
May 31 2006 // Japan’s non-life insurers posted largely improved profits in fiscal 2005, bouncing back from the previous year’s uncommonly harsh string of natural disasters, according to a report published today by Standard...
Best Affirms Tokio Marine, Nichido Fire ‘A++’ Rating
May 23 2006 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of “A++” (Superior) and the issuer credit rating of “aa+” of Japan’s Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Company Limited (TMNF)...
Converium Confirms Successful April 1 Non-U.S. Treaty Renewals
May 9 2006 // Swiss-based Converium recorded successful renewals of its of non-life treaties as of April 1. The Company said it “bound non-life contracts of US$ 272.2 million or 99.5 percent of the business that was up for...
Aflac’s Lake Named First Non-Japanese Tokyo Stock Exchange Director
Apr 26 2006 // Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) Chairman and President Taizo Nishimuro announced that Charles Lake, Aflac Japan vice chairman, has been selected as an external director. Lake, 44, will be the first non-Japanese appointed to...
Despite AIA Optimism USTR Change Raises Doubts on Doha Round
Apr 24 2006 // The American Insurance Association has issued a bulletin commending outgoing United States Trade Representative (USTR) Rob Portman for his leadership on trade negotiations. The AIA also welcomed his successor, Deputy USTR...
Illness Claims N.C. Philanthropist, Reinsurer, Maurice Sabbah
Apr 20 2006 // Maurice “Chico” Sabbah, a Greensboro, N.C. businessman and philanthropist whose risk-sharing insurance company had to pay more than $400 million to settle a lawsuit stemming from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist...
SCOR Scores Success with Asian Treaty Renewals
Apr 18 2006 // French reinsurer SCOR Group reported premium gains in its Asia-Pacific zone following treaty renewals at the beginning of April. Written premiums In Japan exceeded 7 billion yen ($59.3 million) up 6 percent compared to...
S&P Assigns ‘A-‘ Rating to Sompo’s Chinese Subsidiary
Apr 17 2006 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services announced that it has assigned its “A-” long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings to China-based Sompo Japan Insurance (China) Co. Ltd.,...
Best Affirms Mitsui’s ‘A+’ Rating
Feb 23 2006 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the “A+” (Superior) financial strength rating and assigned an issuer credit rating (ICR) of “aa” to Japan’s Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company Ltd....
Best Affirms Aioi ‘A’ Rating
Feb 1 2006 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) and assigned an “a” issuer credit rating to Japan’s Aioi Insurance Company Ltd. with a stable...
RMS: 500,000 Japanese Dead Possible in Avian Flu Pandemic Outbreak
Jan 26 2006 // Risk Management Solutions Inc. (RMS) released the findings of an in-depth study that provides life and personal accident insurers in Japan with key benchmarks for the potential risk of human casualties from catastrophic...
S&P Reports on Japan Captives
Jan 23 2006 // According to a new report – “Tighter Regulations Spark Rating Demand In Japan’s Growing Captive Insurer Market” – published by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services; more attention is...
Japan Internet Mall Operator Considers Entering P/C Market
Jan 4 2006 // Rakuten, one of Japan’s top Internet shopping mall operators, has reportedly announced that it is considering entering the country’s nonlife insurance business to boost its growing financial operations. A...
Best Affirms Sompo’s ‘A+’ Rating
Dec 29 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating of “A+” (Superior) and assigned an issuer credit rating (ICR) of “aa-” to Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. However, Best...
Best Affirms Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire ‘A++’ Ratings
Dec 2 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of “A++” (Superior) and assigned an issuer credit rating (ICR) of “aa+” to Japan’s Tokio Marine & Nichido...
Best Affirms Toa Re (Japan) Ratings; Downgrades U.S. Sub ICR
Nov 17 2005 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of “A+” (Superior) and the “aa-” issuer credit rating (ICR) of Japan’s Toa Reinsurance Company, Limited (Toa...
Japan to Privatize Postal System
Oct 14 2005 // Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi made good on his promise to privatize the country’s giant postal system when the upper house of parliament, which had refused the measure in August, passed the postal reform...
S&P Analyzes Earthquake Threat for Japan’s Property/Casualty Companies
Sep 12 2005 // “The one-two punch of insurance payouts and share price losses following a major earthquake in Tokyo would not immediately jeopardize insurance companies’ ability to pay claims, but could have a negative impact...
Koizumi Wins “Japan Post” Privatization Election in a Landslide
Sep 12 2005 // Japan’s Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has won an overwhelming victory in elections to the Lower House of the country’s Parliament. Koizumi called a snap general election last August (See IJ Website Aug. 7)...
Typhoon Nabi Hits Kyushu
Sep 6 2005 // Typhoon Nabi roared ashore on Japan’s Southern Island of Kyushu. So far the storm has caused at least one confirmed death; 16 people are reported missing and 23 have reportedly been injured. Nabi is packing winds of...
