Japan News

Death Toll Rises in Turkish Earthquake

More than 100 people have reportedly died and many more are missing following the earthquake that struck a mountainous region of Eastern Turkey early Thursday morning. Rescue efforts were centered on a local school in the village of Celtiksuyu in …

Japan’s Millea to Offer SARS Coverage

The two main operating companies of the Millea Group, Tokio Marine & Fire and Nichido Fire & Marine, announced that they would offer coverage to persons traveling outside of Japan against the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. …

inreon Announces New Expansion in Asia

inreon, the online reinsurance platform founded by Munich Re and Swiss Re in 2000, announced a further expansion of its operations in Asia with both Korean Re and China International Re, two of the region’s leading reinsurers, agreeing to write …

Millea to Merge Tokio Marine, Nichido Operations

Millea Holdings Inc., Japan’s biggest P/C insurance group, announced plans to merge Tokio Fire & Marine Insurance Co. and Nichido Fire & Marine Insurance Co. by October 2004. The two companies originally merged in April of 2002 to form Millea. …

Hans-Peter Gerhardt Named New AXA RE CEO

France’s AXA Group announced that Hans-Peter Gerhardt, currently a member of the Executive Committee and Vice-President of the Board of Directors of General Cologne Re will join AXA RE as CEO, effective May 1, 2003. Gerhardt, 47, has 22 years …

A.M. Best Affirms B++ Rating of Fuji Fire & Marine; A+ Rating of NZ’s ACC

A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating of B++ (Very Good) of Japan’s Fuji Fire & Marine Insurance Company Ltd. with a stable outlook, and the A+ (Superior) financial strength rating of New Zealand’s Accident …

inreon Expands in Japanese Market

inreon, the reinsurance online insurance platform, founded by Swiss Re and Munich Re, announced an expansion of its international operations in Japan, with the addition of two of the country’s largest P/C insurers – Sompo Japan and Fuji Fire & …

A.M. Best Expands Capabilities of its Hong Kong Regional Headquarters

A.M. Best Co. announced that it has recently integrated its Asia/Pacific insurance rating and information operations to serve Japan, Australia and New Zealand under A.M. Best Asia-Pacific Ltd. in Hong Kong. “Companies in Japan, Australia and New Zealand will now …

A.M. Best Affirms Rating of NIPPONKOA Insurance Company

A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating of A (Excellent) of NIPPONKOA Insurance Company, Ltd., Tokyo, with a stable outlook. Best also assigned the company a financial size category of XV. “The rating reflects the …

A.M. Best Lowers Rating for Unum Japan Accident Co.

A.M. Best Co. has lowered the financial strength rating to A- (Excellent) from A (Excellent) of Unum Japan Accident Insurance Company, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, and placed the rating under review with negative implications. The company has a financial size category …