Japan's top banks consider teaming up on ATMs to cut costs
MUFG Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking and Mizuho Bank are considering jointly operating ATMs to reduce costs, said people familiar with the matter.
The units of Japan's three biggest banking groups are discussing details of joint operation, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. The banks are seeing whether costs can be reduced for tasks needed to run ATMs such as monitoring, security and cash transportation.
Spokespeople for MUFG, Sumitomo Mitsui and Mizuho all said nothing has been decided.
Despite posting record profits, the three banking groups still lag behind some global peers by metrics such as return on equity, suggesting they have room to make their operations more efficient.
Japan's ATMs have high functionality, being able to open deposit books inside the ATM and type up past transactions, for example, but features like those require significant costs for development, operation and maintenance. It is also meant that people have come to rely on them, making it harder for banks to phase out the machines.
Meanwhile, Fujitsu, a Japanese electronics firm, said Tuesday that it will quit the production of ATMs and devices for bank counters at the end of March 2028 as part of efforts to focus on software and other digital services.
In line with the move, Fujitsu reached a basic agreement with Oki Electric Industry, another Japanese electronics company, on hardware procurement.
Fujitsu will combine Oki's products and general-purpose hardware with its own software for supply to customers.
The company will end maintenance support for its hardware by the end of March 2036.
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