[ by Melanie Gretchen ]

FINRA and Japan Securities Dealers Association (JSDA) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support more robust cooperation between the two regulators.

The MOU will:

• enhance the regulators' ability to to oversee the world's largest securities markets, as well as firms that operate in both the United States and Japan
• facilitate the exchange of information on regulatory matters and allow further sharing of regulatory techniques.

The agreement was signed by Richard Ketchum, Chairman and CEO of FINRA, and Tetsuo Mae, Chairman of JSDA.  Mr. Mae said, "MOU will further enhance our long-lasting cooperation and bring about even more effective interaction."

"Self-regulatory organizations including FINRA and JSDA assume important responsibilities to ensure investor protection and market integrity in the markets under their competence. In order to fulfill those responsibilities, it means much to both FINRA and JSDA to exchange information in a timely manner and to have a framework to respond quickly and jointly to any issues that may arise in the market."

FINRA is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States.  In turn, JSDA is an SRO established pursuant to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act and authorized by the Prime Minister.

For further details, go to [FINRA, 11/28/12] and [JSDA].