The Japanese Bankers Association may grant "observer" status to Japan Post Bank Co. as an entity not involved in its decision-making process, sources familiar with the issue said Sunday.
While the association has refused to grant membership to the banking arm of Japan Post Holdings Co. on the grounds that it hinders private-sector businesses, cooperative ties with the postal bank have developed recently in the wake of March's quake and tsunami and in connection with tackling financial crime.
The formal decision will be made at the association's board meeting in June at the earliest, the sources said.