Japan

Despite the problems that negative interest rates bring to a banking sector, Japan’s financial institutions have more to gain from a stronger economic environment than they have to fear from monetary policy. Given the progress they have made in strengthening their capital bases they appear well placed to see out such unhelpful policy, even if it lasts for longer than many hope.

Established in 2011 as a means of providing borrowers with easier access to a marginally more restricted investor base than the Samurai market, the Tokyo Pro-Bond market has had mixed fortunes in its five year history. While it has attracted a diverse range of borrowers, overall volumes have perhaps not lived up to expectations. The Tokyo Pro-Bond market has, however, firmly established its credentials as an alternative to the Samurai market, and market participants remain optimistic about its long-term prospects. Participants in the GlobalCapital Pro-Bond roundtable were:

Samurai issuance by borrowers from the Asia Pacific region fell from 47% in 2011, when Australian banks accounted for almost a third of issuance, to 16% in 2015. Nevertheless, it is clear that the region will have a key role to play in the evolution of the Samurai market in the years ahead. In the Asia Pacific Issuers Roundtable, borrowers discuss their experience in the Samurai market and look forward to likely developments over the coming few years.

It is one of the great ironies in the global capital markets that despite the long history of deep demand for ESG bonds in Japan, Japanese issuers have themselves been reluctant to issue.

At the beginning of 2016, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) followed Europe’s central bank and took a dive into the world of negative interest rates. Bond yields have since tumbled and investors and regular borrowers in Japan’s domestic market have been forced to adapt to the new, alien environment. Though Samurai issuance volumes are down in the first half of the year, the world’s second largest bond market is evolving quickly and has proven itself to be both flexible and dynamic. GlobalCapital spoke to seven prominent international yen issuers and two banks about their experiences in the Samurai market this year.

Rating: Aa3/AA-

Blockchain came sharply into focus this week for the derivatives market, as industry bodies warned on both the need for such technology and to regulate its use. Meanwhile, firms rolled out a range of new initiatives to address the market’s mounting challenges around margin and settlements.

The yen market, for so long held back by an in-built caution as well as unfavourable swap rates, is rapidly re-establishing itself as crucial source of capital for some of the world’s biggest banks.

The US Commodity Trading Futures Commission's split over whether to accept Japan's uncleared margin rules as equivalent to the US was not an ideal outcome. But the decision, however contentious, is a pragmatic step which will motivate further convergence between regulatory regimes.

HSBC looked set to follow Standard Chartered in issuing yen-denominated senior bonds from its holding company, as the country’s regional investors weigh up the benefits of buying into riskier transactions.

The US Commodity Trading Futures Commission (CTFC) is divided over derivative rules as it agreed by split vote on Thursday to accept substituted compliance comparability for Japan uncleared margin rules. And one of its three commissioners, Sharon Bowen, raised a number of concerns for systemic financial risk as she voted against the motion.

Major banks and their counterparties in Canada, Japan and the US entered a last gasp drive this week to comply with new margin rules on uncleared derivative trades ahead of Thursday’s deadline. But while most of the market looked to have averted disaster on the day, one of the key regulatory officials behind the rules had harsh words for the way in which they had been imposed.