A few members added that downside risks to the economy arising from financial aspects were increasing, as seen in weak stock prices, and the increase in the disposal of NPLs, and a more cautious lending attitude among financial institutions.
Admittedly, there are problems that will require considerable time and effort, including thedisposal of the bad debtsof financial institutions, and balance sheet adjustments and management strategy restructuring by individual companies.
In finance, Japanese financial institutions ended the disposal of non-performing assets as early as the beginning of the 2000s, and they now enjoy high credit rating standards relative to their overseas competitors Chart 24.
For example, thedisposal of the NPLsof financial institutions and structural reform of the economy are two sides of the same coin, and are also deeply related to the financial market and asset price developments.
A few members referred to some concrete measures to this end, and said that they hoped that the Government would achieve immediate and concrete results in areas such as disposal of NPLs, tax reform, and deregulation.
Research on the Banking Sector in the Philippines" IIMA analyzed the functions and roles of regulatory authority over the banking sector in the Philippines as well as the situation of non-performing loan disposals by the banks.
Mexico adopted the government-led approach, though not to the extent seen in South Korea, disposing of nonperforming loans through FOBAPROA(Fondo Bancario de Protección al Ahorro), a public institution, and buttressing banks' capital bases through the injection of public funds.
With regard to the Asian countries, the member expressed concern about the recent decline in stock prices as well as the risks associated with the disposal of nonperforming assets and the political situation.
If acceleration of the disposal of NPLs induces tightness in corporate finance as a whole through more stringent lending policy on the part of financial institutions and increased vigilance on the part of markets, there will be downward pressure on the economy.
Members noted that it was a crucial change in recent financial developments that market participants' cautiousness regarding credit risks was increasing somewhat, as seen in the fall in stock prices reflecting the uncertainty about the Government's measures to accelerate NPL disposal, and in the unstable developments in the money market.
Japan's financial system is at a critical juncture that will determine whether it can restore domestic and international confidence, with financial institutions further enhancing disclosure and accelerating the disposal of nonperforming loans, and the authorities ensuring the stability of the financial system.
NPL disposal reached 6.1 trillion yen and exceeded operating profits from core business for the seventh consecutive year since fiscal 1994, reflecting the prolonged weak business performance amid the worsening of the economy. This amount was approximately the same as in fiscal 1999, far above the forecast in autumn 2000.
Based on the above discussions, some members expressed the view that presenting a concrete scenario of how the Government would deal with the fiscal deficit, reform in the pension and medical systems, and the disposal of nonperforming loans could have a positive impact on economic entities and market sentiment.
On the domestic side, stock prices have fallen to a considerably low level. Hence, the progress in the disposal of non-performing loansof financial institutions hereafter and its effects on stock prices and the economy should be carefully monitored.
As factors posing a risk to the economic outlook, most members pointed out developments in the United States and other overseas economies, and the possible effects of an acceleration of NPL disposal on corporate financing and Japanese stock prices.
This member further pointed out that the continued downtrend in land prices, which was currently one of the factors fettering the disposal of nonperforming loans by financial institutions while also serving to hamper firms' restructuring, would continue to be a drag on the economy for some time.
On the domestic side, stock prices have fallen to a considerably low level. Hence, the progress in the disposal of non-performing loansof financial institutions and its effects on stock prices, corporate finance, and the economy, should be carefully monitored.
One member commented that it was still necessary to examine carefully how a full-scale recovery could be brought about through progress in structural reform and the disposal of nonperforming loans, supported by a combination of efforts by the private sector and monetary and fiscal policy.
This might partly reflect firms' raising of necessary funds in advance, given the uncertainty of the prospects for the financial environment due to factors such as the possible effects of an acceleration of NPL disposal.
Thedisposal of the non-performing assetsof financial institutions has made considerable progress, at least from the accounting viewpoint, thanks to efforts on the part of financial institutions as well as capital injection into major banks using public funds.
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