It is quite a franchise. Mitsubishi these days counts as the biggest industrial grouping in the world and Mitsubishi Bank can count on some of world banking's juiciest corporate business coming over the threshold every day. It helps to explain why, although Mitsubishi Bank has traditionally been one of the sleepier of Tokyo's big banks, its assets of 30.5 trillion at the end of last year ranked it fifth in the world.
But, after the installation of Kazuo Ibuki as president in June 1986, the bank has stopped taking its franchise for granted. For someone who lists orchid-cultivation as a hobby, there's been nothing gentle about his impact on the bank. Under his swift direction, Mitsubishi has been gearing to the securitisation of banking, to expand its fee services, particularly in the information sector, and to extend its international presence.
However, it will not abandon its traditional areas of business. Indeed, it is these relationships, with 350,000 Japanese companies, that will give it the muscle to enter into the new areas.
Brian Waterhouse, who analyses financial companies in Japan for UK stockbroker James Capel and Co, said Mitsubishi Bank was in a unique and very powerful position through its group ties.