Yomiuri: No accounts for gangs, banks say
The Japanese Bankers Association decided Thursday to instruct its 187 member banks not to allow gang members to open accounts, in an attempt to counter crime syndicates' money laundering activities...The JBA announced in November a policy of excluding crime syndicates from financial transactions, including loans. By prohibiting gang members from opening accounts, the JBA will strengthen its hand in excluding syndicates and other antisocial groups from banking services. Included in the ban are members and associate members of crime syndicates, companies that have close connections with crime syndicates and corporate racketeers. Banks will refuse to let them open ordinary savings accounts and current accounts, and will not provide safe-deposit boxes. The banks will refuse gang members' requests to open accounts even if the accounts are to be used for ordinary daily life, such as paying utility fees by automatic deduction. Bank accounts already set up by gang members will be canceled once banks confirm their identities, the JBA said...To ensure a consistent policy among member banks, the JBA will examine the creation of a database of people related to crime syndicates. Banks are now collecting such information individually...The JBA decided the entire banking industry must unite to exclude crime syndicates from banking services...more...