JOINT STATEMENT by the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Bank of Japan

(tentative translation)

November 26,1997
Ministry of Finance
Bank of Japan

1. We, the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Bank of Japan, would like to reaffirm our strong will to fulfill the commitment to ensure the stability of interbank transactions as well as to fully protect deposits, along the lines with our respective statements made on November 24, 1997.

2. The financial system is the basis of the economy and society. We will take all possible measures to ensure its stability.

3. Therefore, we are determined to provide liquidity in a sufficient and decisive manner in order to prevent any delay in payments of deposits and other liabilities of financial institutions. We strongly request people not to be misguidedby groundless rumors and to act sensibly.