Our History

Mizuho traces its roots to three of Japan’s oldest banks—Dai–Ichi Bank (Dai–Ichi Kangyo Bank), Yasuda Bank (Fuji Bank), and the Industrial Bank of Japan. Beginning as far back as 1873, these financial institutions helped build and rebuild Japan during the early modern and post–World War II eras, and laid the foundations for Japan’s financial leadership in the 21st century. We also inherit the spirit of the leaders of these banks—three key Japanese bankers who played a pivotal role in the development of the Japanese financial industry: Eiichi Shibusawa, Zenjiro Yasuda, and Sohei Nakayama. These men advocated a pioneering and socially responsible approach to financial services that continues to make Mizuho one of the world’s top financial institutions today.

In 2002, Dai–Ichi Kangyo Bank, Fuji Bank, and the Industrial Bank of Japan merged to form the Mizuho Financial Group. Since then, Mizuho has developed an extensive network in Asia and the rest of the world through a consistent commitment to our values: customer–first, innovative spirit, team spirit, speed, and passion.

As a full–service financial institution, we provide five core services—banking, securities, trust, asset management, and research & consulting—in an integrated manner to create greater value for our customers. In Japanese, mizuho means “a bountiful harvest of rice”, and our name expresses our continuing commitment to offer highly valuable financial products and services to all of our customers, all over the world.

Key Dates in Mizuho’s History