BOJ publishes workshop materials on digitalization support through outsourced accounting as regional banks expand into the fieldBanks are starting to help companies keep their money records
On October 21, 2026 (Reiwa 8), the Bank of Japan published the materials of a workshop (held on October 14) on regional financial institutions taking on accounting work for small and medium-sized enterprises. The introductory lecture organizes the scope of such services from bookkeeping to monthly closing, payroll and preparing financial statements, and lists benefits such as easing staff shortages and reducing the burden of responding to the invoice system and the Electronic Books Maintenance Act, while pointing out cautions such as work becoming a black box and dividing roles with tax accountants.
- ○Applies: Bookkeeping, sorting vouchers, transfers and payments, issuing invoices (routine work)
- ○Applies: Accounts receivable and payable, monthly closing, payroll (management work)
- ○Applies: Preparing financial statements and management figures (other work)
- ×Does not apply: Work that requires a license, such as tax filing (to be separated out)
Key points
- The workshop was held online on October 14, 2026. Besides the Bank of Japan, speakers came from the Financial Services Agency, NTT Data Institute of Management Consulting, 77 Business With Co., Ltd. and Chugin Financial Group, Inc.
- The introductory lecture organizes outsourced accounting into routine work (bookkeeping, sorting vouchers, transfers and payments, issuing invoices), management work (accounts receivable and payable, monthly closing, payroll) and other work (preparing financial statements and management figures)
- As benefits for companies that outsource, it lists easing staff shortages, standardizing and digitalizing work processes, and reducing the burden of responding to legal changes such as the invoice system and the Electronic Books Maintenance Act
- As cautions, it lists outsourced work becoming a black box, the burden of reassigning and reskilling staff, coordinating with tax accountants and existing vendors the company worked with, and separating out work that requires a license, such as tax filing
- It notes that the FSA's Regional Financial Strength Plan (December 2025) positioned outsourced accounting as a business of financial institutions, and that the supervisory guidelines (April 2026) also cite it as an example of digitalization support
What to do in practice
- When considering outsourcing accounting work, first write down the scope to be outsourced (bookkeeping, payments, payroll, financial statements, etc.) and the checks to keep in-house, then compare options
- If you outsource to a financial institution, confirm before signing how the accounting information you provide may be used (for example, whether it is used in loan screening) and which tax accountant will handle the tax return
Companies have a job called accounting, where they record their daily sales and payments in their books. But small companies sometimes do not have enough people to do it. So more regional banks are taking on this accounting work for them, and on October 21, 2026, the Bank of Japan published the materials of a meeting that discussed this.
Points
- Regional banks are taking on companies' bookkeeping and pay calculations for them
- Companies get relief from staff shortages and help with new rules
- But there are things to watch out for, such as the company finding it harder to see what is being done
What the words mean
- Accounting
- The job of recording and summarizing the money coming in and going out of a company
- Outsourcing
- Having another company take on work for you
- Bank of Japan: Bank of Japan, "5th Workshop on Regional DX Support: Digitalization Support through Outsourced Accounting Services" (October 21, 2026)
- Bank of Japan: Bank of Japan, material 1 for the same workshop (introductory lecture), "Overview of outsourced accounting services at regional financial institutions"
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.