OREANDA-NEWS. Aozora Bank, Ltd. announced that it had enter ed into a letter of intent with Kanematsu Corporation related to the joint provision of cross border business matching services in support of customers aiming to expand their business overseas.

In recent years, business development in the rapidly growing regions of Asia has become an important growth strategy for the Bank's corporate customers, not least its SME customers. In response to the related customer needs, Aozora is actively strengthening its cross border M&A business intermediary and financing functions.

Kanematsu has a large number of offices throughout Asia, and takes advantage of its trading company functions, including commercial transactions, information gathering, market development, business development, investment, risk management, and distribution, to provide products and services. This alliance will bring together the customer networks and various financing functions of Aozora Bank and its regional financial institution customers, and Kanematsu's trading company functions, including it s Asia value chain and overseas expansion expertise, to enable the provision of more varied and higher quality support services (cross border business matching) to companies expanding overseas.

As announced in 'Aozora Bank's Business Model' in February this year, the Bank's focuses include the development of transactions with SMEs and collaboration with regional financial institutions. Through the promotion of this business model, the Bank aims to earn the trust of its customers as the 'Primary Secondary Bank - Another Reliable Partner', and is committed to responding to the management challenges and needs of its customers through the enhancement of its range of services.