Various environmental changes have been observed in Japan, such as acceleration of depopulation, advancement of aging society, and prolonged low interest rates. Along with these changes, citizens' self-effort based asset building is more required than before.
In this circumstance, the Institute aims to have people become more familiar with investment as an asset building measure by providing practical and effective information on investment including how to avoid fund shortage in longevity in a neutral standpoint.
| Name: | MUFG Financial Education Institute |
| Website launched on: | August 1, 2018 |
| Operated by: | Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation, Investment Development Division |
| Major activities: | Research, study and report on asset building and asset management for working and retired individuals |
Our Researchers
Tomohisa KUSAKABE, Head of the Institute
~Message from the Head of the Institute~
Nowadays the word "asset building" has gradually become commonplace.
The individual-type Defined Contribution pension plan "iDeCo" is well-known, and NISA (tax exemption for small amount investment) is well recognized from young generation.
On the other hand, it is the fact that the number of people who have started "asset building" has not rapidly increased because of psychological hurdles.
The mission of financial institutions is to propose the ideal way of "asset building" based on his/her own life plan and to support for implementing it.
We shall conduct extensive research and provide beneficial information to help each of your affluent 100-year life. We will be grateful if our report and information are helpful for you.
Joined Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corporation (currently Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation) in 1986. He has various experiences in pension business including actuarial pensionCpension Asset Liability ManagementCand retirement benefit consulting. He held important positions including general manager of Pension Consulting Division appointed in 2007, of Pension Trust Division appointed in 2013.
He has been in his current position since April 2022 after serving as a managing director of the Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporate Pension Fund and the Health Insurance from 2018.
QualificationFPension Actuary, Certified Member Analyst of the Securities Analysts Association of Japan, Grade 1 DC planner
A member of The Institute of Actuaries of Japan, and Chairman of the Security Issues Study Group of The Institute of Actuaries of Japan
Kazuhiro SUGAYA, Senior Researcher
Joined Mitsubishi Trust and Banking Corporation (currently Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation) in 1985 and held important positions in Nippon Record Keeping Network, Co., Ltd. and Research Institute for Policies on Pension and Aging from 2002 to 2016. In April 2016, joined Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation as a senior Manager of the Pension Consulting Division.
He gives lectures at pension seminars for customers and writes reports and articles for Mitsubishi UFJ Pension Report, an information leaflet to customers, and other pension journals. He is specialized in the fields of purpose of life, private pension schemes in other countries, and social security schemes.
Won the special recognition award in the 8th Japan Academic Society for Financial Planning thesis in 2013 with "Creation of Individual Retirement Account Scheme (Japanese IRA) to Support Asset Building of Individuals".
Qualification: 1st class DC planner, 2nd class Certified Skilled Worker of Financial Planning
A member of the Pension Academy of Japan, Japan Academic society for Financial Planning, and Institute of Strategic Solutions for Pension Management
Takashi KANBE, Advisor
Graduated from the faculty of law of Waseda University, he joined Mitsubishi Bank in 1980 and participated in the establishment of Imagineer Co., Ltd. In 1987, he joined Nikko Securities and has engaged in planning and development of marketing methods centered on financial planning services since then. He has gained a high recognition as a financial planner specialized in asset management through his work in developing marketing tools/systems and products, lecturing at seminars/training sessions, and writing articles on newspapers/magazines.
In 1999, he left Nikko Securities and founded Financial Planners' Associates and Consulting Co., Ltd. As a leading independent financial planner in Japan, he provides consulting services to individuals and corporations, lectures at seminars and training sessions, and also engages in supporting independent financial planners nationwide.
Held important posts including a board member of the Japan Association for Financial Planners, a member of the Committee for Economic and Financial Literacy of the Financial Services Agency ("FSA"), a member of the Economic and Financial Literacy Study Group of FSA, an expert advisor to the Financial System Council of FSA, a member of the Central Council for Financial Services (the Bank of Japan) and a member of the Economic and Financial Literacy Promotion Council.
Kumi FUJISAWA, Advisor
Founded Japan's first investment trust evaluation company in 1996 after working for several investment fund management companies. Sold the company to Standard & Poor's in 1999 and joined Think Tank Sophia Bank, has worked as a co-founder since 2003. She was nominated to the Young Global Leaders in 2007 and to the Global Agenda Council in 2008 by the World Economic Forum (Davos Conference). She organized a public-private joint project "Sports Culture World Forum" in 2016 as a leader of the project office and led the forum to success with 7,500 participants.
She is currently a committee member at several government ministries, a board member at Japan Securities Dealers Association, and an external board member at some public-listed companies such as Toyota Tsusho Corporation etc.. She is active in lecturing socially conscious investment strategies, management, and ideal leaders thorough publications, lectures, television and radio program. She published more than 20 books, including her latest books of "Ano Kaishano Shinjin wa Naze Sodatsunoka (Why do new employees learn and succeed quickly in that company?) (March 2018) and "Sugu Yaruhito no Koeteru Shikoho" (A fast actor's excellent way of thinking) (September 2017)
Contact for MUFG Financial Education Institute: Investment Education Division of Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation
MUFG Financial Education Institute is the name used by Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation when it engages in researches, studies, and other external activities on asset building and asset management