Latest Japan Headlines

All the headlines from our Japan Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Holland’s Actuac, Japan’s IIC Partners Join Milliman Global

Jan 22 2004 // Seattle-based Milliman Global, an organization of independent, international consulting firms, announced that the Netherlands’ Actuac and Japan’s IIC Partners have joined its roster of international consulting...

Japanese Insurers Receive Fortress Re Payments

Jan 5 2004 // Three Japanese insurance companies have received at least part of the $1.12 arbitration award levied against Fortress Re (See IJ Website Dec, 23), a No. Carolina-based reinsurance company, which collapsed following Sept....

Swiss Re Receives Japan Branch License

Dec 29 2003 // Swiss Re announced that it has received a branch license from Japan’s Financial Services Agency, giving it permission to provide its reinsurance services locally, both in Property & Casualty and in Life &...

Millea to buy Skandia Japan Life Unit for $186 Million

Dec 24 2003 // Millea Holdings Inc., Japan’s largest general insurer, announced plans to acquire the Japanese life business of Sweden’s Skandia Insurance Co. for 20 billion yen ($186 million) in early 2004. “By...

S&P Comment on Japanese P/C 1st Half Results – Profitability Still in Question

Nov 26 2003 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has issued a comment on the Japanese P/C sector, indicating that “a recovery in bottom-line profits recorded by all 10 major Japanese non-life insurers for the first half...

Big “I” Sees International Success with New Associate Member Status

Nov 4 2003 // The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America announced that two Japanese brokers are the first international insurance professionals to join IIABA by taking advantage of its new “associate...

Strong Quake in Japan; Tidal Waves Feared

Sep 26 2003 // An earthquake measuring in excess of 8 on the Richter scale struck the Northern Japanese Island of Hokkaido early this morning, local time, causing property damage and injuring more than 230 people. The tremor and two...

Best Lowers Unum Japan Rating to ‘BB+’

Sep 26 2003 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has downgraded the financial strength rating to B++ (Very Good) from A- (Excellent) of Unum Japan Accident Insurance Co. Ltd., removed the company from under review, and revised its outlook...

AIG Completes Acquisition of GE’s Japan Life and U.S. Auto Business

Aug 29 2003 // American International Group, Inc. announced that “the acquisition of the GE Edison Life Insurance Company in Japan and GE’s U.S.-based auto and home insurance business has been completed, effective...

EQECAT Provides Risk Analysis for Largest Japanese Cat Bond

Aug 21 2003 // Oakland- based EQECAT Inc., a division of ABSG Consulting of Houston, Texas, announced that it has provided the risk analysis for a $470 million bond consisting of three individual tranches covering potential losses from...

Best Affirms Toa Re ‘A+’ (Superior) Ratings

Aug 20 2003 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating of A+ (Superior) of Japan’s Toa Reinsurance Company Limited, with a negative outlook.“The negative outlook reflects Toa Re’s...

A.M. Best Affirms Rating of Sompo Japan Inc.

Aug 7 2003 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating of A+ (Superior) of Sompo Japan Insurance Inc., Japan. The outlook is negative.The rating reflects Sompo Japan’s deteriorated risk-adjusted capitalization,...

Swiss Re, Mitsui Sumitomo Arrange $100M Catastrophe Risk Swap

Aug 6 2003 // Swiss Re and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company have arranged a $100 million catastrophe risk swap. The catastrophe risk swap is structured in two risk exchanges of $50 million each: Japan typhoon for North Atlantic...

AIG’s Greenberg to Hold Conference Call Today on GE Japan Life Deal

Jul 1 2003 // American International Group announced that Chairman M. R. Greenberg will hold a conference call on Tuesday, July 1, 2003 at 10:00 am EDT to discuss AIG’s agreement to acquire the GE Japan Life Insurance business and...

Report ZFS May Sell Japanese Operations to AIG

Jun 23 2003 // Zurich Financial Services is reportedly considering the sale of its personal lines Japanese life and P/C operations to American International Group for around 20 billion yen ($169 million). An article, which originally...

Hawaii Welcomes 9th Captive Insurance Company

Jun 20 2003 // Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle announced the recent licensing of the newest Hawaii captive insurance company that will be used to insure the national and international risks of its Japanese-based parent company.Mitsui &...

Best Affirms ‘A++’ Ratings of Tokio Marine and Reinsurance Sub

Jun 17 2003 // A.M. Best Co. announced that it has affirmed the financial strength rating of A++ (Superior) of Japan’s Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance Company Ltd., (TMF), and, in a separate announcement, also affirmed the same...

SCOR Announces Successful April Renewals in Asia

May 6 2003 // France’s SCOR Group announced that it has successfully renewed 60 percent of its 2002 portfolio in Asia as of April 1, 2003. Japanese treaties represented 68 percent of business renewed and South Korean treaties 32...

Japan’s Millea to Offer SARS Coverage

Apr 7 2003 // The two main operating companies of the Millea Group, Tokio Marine & Fire and Nichido Fire & Marine, announced that they would offer coverage to persons traveling outside of Japan against the risk of severe acute...

inreon Announces New Expansion in Asia

Apr 2 2003 // inreon, the online reinsurance platform founded by Munich Re and Swiss Re in 2000, announced a further expansion of its operations in Asia with both Korean Re and China International Re, two of the region’s leading...