In the past decade in Japan, did AFLAC think about acquiring a typical domestic life insurance company?
Mr. O’Bryant replied that AFLAC has reviewed investment opportunities with domestic companies from time to time, but asset quality and fixed employee costs have been an issue. What are the key points on your growth strategies? AFLAC will keep on doing more of the same, he said: “We’re a niche player. We feel what we do best is to continue the focus on distribution expansion and product development.” Presider’s Report Hal Scott, Harvard Law School’s Nomura Professor and Director of the Program on International Financial Systems, gave a synopsis of key discussions at the symposium: On the future competitiveness of Japanese capital markets: Most participants felt there had been substantial progress in improving the safety and soundness of the financial system (which Professor Scott called “a real accomplishment”) but it was less clear that they perceived Japan’s capital markets as having improved, Professor Scott said. He reported continued discussion on the use of zero interest rates to
