Discussion Papers 2026

CIRJE-J-316	『村井銀行の成長と破綻』 "Growth and Bankruptcy of Murai Bank: A History of an 'Organ Bank' in Prewar Japan"
Author Name	岡崎哲二（Tetsuji Okazaki）
Date	March 2026
Full Paper	PDF file (only Japanese version available)
Remarks

Abstract (in Japanese)	Abstract (in English)
	Murai Bank was a middle-sized bank in prewar Japan, which was bankrupted under the financial crisis in 1927. In the literature, Murai Bank has been regarded as a typical “organ bank,” i.e. a bank which was founded by a certain business group as an instrument to supply fund to the firms within the group. However, because of the constraint of historical materials and data, the business of Murai Bank has not been well documented. Integrating the information from its business reports, the report of the Bank of Japan after its bankruptcy, and newly found document of the Murai family, this paper comprehensively describes the growth and bankruptcy of Murai Bank.

Abstract (in Japanese)

Abstract (in English)

Murai Bank was a middle-sized bank in prewar Japan, which was bankrupted under the financial crisis in 1927. In the literature, Murai Bank has been regarded as a typical “organ bank,” i.e. a bank which was founded by a certain business group as an instrument to supply fund to the firms within the group. However, because of the constraint of historical materials and data, the business of Murai Bank has not been well documented. Integrating the information from its business reports, the report of the Bank of Japan after its bankruptcy, and newly found document of the Murai family, this paper comprehensively describes the growth and bankruptcy of Murai Bank.