Question 1

What is Toho Bank?

Accepted Answer

Toho Bank is a Japanese regional bank headquartered in Fukushima, Fukushima Prefecture, serving the Tohoku region of northern Honshu. Established in 1941, the bank operates 122 branches primarily throughout Fukushima Prefecture and neighboring regions.

As a publicly-listed regional bank (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 8345), Toho Bank provides comprehensive financial services to individual and corporate customers with total assets exceeding ¥4.66 trillion and approximately 1,975 employees.

Question 2

When was Toho Bank founded?

Accepted Answer

Toho Bank was founded on November 4, 1941, through the merger of three predecessor banks: Koriyama Commercial Bank, Aizu Bank, and Shirakawa Seya Bank. The bank was established during wartime Japan to meet the expectations of the local community who needed a strong financial institution to protect the region following the Showa Financial Crisis.

The name "Toho" means "eastern country" in Japanese and was chosen with the hope that the bank would progress and develop with the light from the east behind it. The bank's head office was initially located in Koriyama City but was relocated to Fukushima City in December 1946.

Question 3

Where is Toho Bank headquartered?

Accepted Answer

Toho Bank is headquartered in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The current head office building was completed in November 1967.

The bank also operates a Business Center completed in 1994, which houses various operational functions to support the extensive branch network throughout the region.

Question 4

Where does Toho Bank operate?

Accepted Answer

Toho Bank operates primarily throughout Fukushima Prefecture with 105 branches concentrated in six main areas: Fukushima, Koriyama, Shirakawa, Aizu, Soso, and Iwaki. The bank extends its presence beyond Fukushima with 5 branches in Miyagi Prefecture, 2 branches in Ibaraki Prefecture, and single branches in Tochigi, Yamagata, and Niigata Prefectures.

Additionally, Toho Bank maintains 2 branches in Tokyo and 5 sub-branches across its service area. The bank has over 230 ATM locations installed throughout its network, providing extensive access to customers in the Tohoku region.

Question 5

What services does Toho Bank offer?

Accepted Answer

Toho Bank offers comprehensive financial services for individual and corporate customers including deposits (ordinary and fixed deposits, foreign currency deposits), various loan products (housing, auto, education, card loans), real estate services, securities trading and investment, foreign exchange, and bond underwriting and registration services.

The bank provides IC cash cards, debit cards, and credit cards through its subsidiary Toho Card Co., Ltd. Insurance products include whole life insurance, medical and cancer insurance, personal pension plans, and mortgage fire insurance. Corporate services encompass fund management, business succession support, mergers and acquisitions consulting, IPO assistance, and corporate pension systems.

Digital banking services include the official Toho Bank mobile app offering balance inquiries, deposit and withdrawal statement access (up to 10 years), money transfers with competitive fees (free for intra-bank transfers, ¥165 for other banks), card loan management, tax and utility payments, and integration with Money Forward for automated household accounting. The bank also offers ATM services accessible through its mobile app at Seven Bank and Lawson Bank ATMs nationwide.

Question 6

What makes Toho Bank unique?

Accepted Answer

Toho Bank holds a distinctive position as the financial institution that demonstrated exceptional resilience during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and the subsequent Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. Despite temporarily suspending operations at 29 branches, with 6 branches remaining closed due to being within the exclusion zone, no bank employees were injured during the disaster.

The bank maintained its commitment to serving the community by quickly resuming operations and providing critical financial services during the crisis. This experience has shaped Toho Bank's corporate mission to be "a company that contributes to the regional community." The bank actively participates in regional recovery efforts through the Fukushima Innovation Coast Framework and supports local businesses in post-disaster reconstruction.

Toho Bank has partnered with 29 out of 60 municipalities in Fukushima Prefecture through regional revitalization agreements and maintains strong relationships with depositors, holding over ¥6 trillion in total deposits as of June 2020.

Question 7

What type of financial institution is Toho Bank?

Accepted Answer

Toho Bank is classified as a regional bank (chiho ginko) in the Japanese banking system. Regional banks in Japan serve as key financial institutions for specific prefectures and their surrounding areas, focusing on local economic development while providing both retail and commercial banking services.

As a first-section listed company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange since February 1974, Toho Bank operates as a universal banking institution offering a full spectrum of financial services through its main bank operations and eight Group companies including Toho Securities Co., Ltd., Toho Consulting Partners Co., Ltd., The Toho Lease Co., Ltd., The Toho Card Co., Ltd., The Toho Credit Service Co., Ltd., The Toho Credit Guarantee Co., Ltd., The Toho Information System Co., Ltd., and Toho Smile Co., Ltd.

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