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Public Relations Activities of the Bank of Japan and Its Approaches to Financial Literacy Education

  • This is an English translation of the Japanese original released on September 22, 2005.

December 28, 2005
Public Relations Department
Bank of Japan

Click on ron0512a.pdf (678KB) to download the full text.

Summary

The Bank of Japan considers it important to disseminate information and provide explanations to the general public, in a plain and understandable manner, about its operations and organization, as well as financial and economic developments, in addition to public relations activities through the media. In recent years, the Bank has devoted effort to financial literacy education for the next generation, which will play an important role in Japan's economy in the future.

Major examples of the Bank's recent public relations activities aimed directly at the general public include conducting in-house tours at its Head Office and branches, providing information through its web site, delivering speeches and holding seminars, as well as releasing research papers and public relations magazines. Through such activities, the Bank seeks to become a more comprehensible and open central bank for the public. Recently, the Bank has sought to make further improvements by establishing a web site designed for children, opening up the underground vault at the Head Office's Old Building, and reviewing the contents of the public relations magazine.

In the field of financial literacy education, the Bank fully supports the activities of the Central Council for Financial Services Information (CCFSI), of which the Bank is one of the most active members. The CCFSI has been engaged in providing financial and economic information to the public, as well as assistance in improving financial literacy education. The CCFSI has announced that it will regard fiscal 2005 as the first year of promoting financial literacy education, and has been organizing projects including a festival to promote financial literacy education and a lecture series. In addition to the CCFSI's efforts, the Bank has been carrying out several of its own projects related to financial literacy education at schools--for example, seminars for schoolteachers--to promote a better understanding by the public of financial and economic issues. The Bank also plans to start an annual contest for college students from fiscal 2005.

Greater comprehension of finance and the economy, combined with more sensible decision-making in terms of expenditure on an individual basis, will ultimately contribute to fostering development of more efficient and vibrant financial markets and a more active Japanese economy. Taking these factors into account, the Bank will continue to make vigorous efforts toward public relations activities aimed at the general public and the improvement of financial literacy education.