Aeon Financial Chief Resigns over Biz Improvement Order

Tokyo, Jan. 15 (Jiji Press)--Aeon Financial Service Co. President Kenji Fujita has resigned after subsidiary Aeon Bank received a business improvement order from Japan’s Financial Services Agency last month for deficiencies in its measures against money laundering.

Aeon Financial Chairman Shunsuke Shirakawa will double as president, the company said Tuesday.

The company found it necessary to renew its leadership team to clarify management responsibilities. Fujita voluntarily offered to step down and become a director without the right to represent the company.

Meanwhile, Aeon Bank dismissed its president, Hiroaki Kobayashi, and board member and risk control division head Masato Anada. Executive Yuro Kisaka will become the new president.

The FSA issued the business improvement order to Aeon Bank on Dec. 26 after finding that the bank failed to check at least 14,639 transactions for possible money laundering.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]