Trade Finance Japan | 2023 Trade Finance Guide

2023 Guide | Trade Finance Global

Trade Finance - Japan

Welcome to the Japan Trade Finance and International Trade hub. Find out how our Japan-based team can help you access trade finance to increase your imports and exports, or find the latest research, information, and insights on trade finance here.

What is trade finance?

Trade Finance is the financing of goods or services in a trade or transaction, from a supplier through to the end buyer. It accounts for 3% of global trade, worth some $3tn annually. ‘Trade Finance’ is an umbrella term, which includes a variety of financial instruments that can be used by an importer or exporter.

These include:

  • Purchase Order Finance
  • Stock Finance
  • Structured Commodity Finance
  • Invoice Finance (Discounting & Factoring)
  • Supply Chain Finance
  • Letters of Credit (LCs) and;
  • Bonds & Guarantees

The terms Import Finance and Export Finance are used interchangeably with Trade Finance.

In order to address some of the common issues and misunderstandings around Trade Finance, we have put together this short guide.

How can trade finance benefit my Japan-based business?

Trade finance facilitates the growth of a business by securing funds required to purchase goods and stock. Managing cash and working capital is critical to the success of any business. Trade finance is a tool which is used to unlock capital from a company’s existing stock or receivables or add further finance facilities based on a company’s trade cycles.

Why does this help? A trade finance facility may allow you to offer more competitive terms to both suppliers and customers, by reducing payment gaps in your trade cycle. It is beneficial for supply chain relationships and growth.

Other benefits of trade finance

  • Short to medium-term working capital, using the underlying products or services being imported/exported as security/collateral. It increases the revenue potential of a company, and earlier payments may allow for higher margins.
  • Trade finance allows companies to request higher volumes of stock or place larger orders with suppliers, leading to economies of scale and bulk discounts. 
  • Trade finance can also help strengthen the relationship between buyers and sellers, increasing profit margins. It allows a company to be more competitive.
  • Managing the supply chain is critical for any business. Trade and supply chain finance helps ease out cash constraints or liquidity gaps – for suppliers, customers, third parties, employees or providers. Earlier payments also mitigate risk for suppliers.

It is important to note that trade finance focuses more on the trade than the underlying borrower, i.e. it is not balance sheet led. Therefore, small businesses with weaker balance sheets can use trade finance to trade significantly larger volumes of goods or services and work with stronger end customers.

Due to the embedded risk mitigants that surround trade finance lending and instruments, it leads to the potential of a diversity of supplier base for trading companies. A more diverse supplier network increases competition and efficiency in markets and supply chains.

Companies can also mitigate business risks by using appropriate trade finance structures. Late payments from debtors, bad debts, excess stock and demanding creditors can have detrimental effects on a business. External financing or revolving credit facilities can ease this pressure by effectively financing trade flows.

 

Get started – talk to our Japan team



If you have a trade finance enquiry, please use the contact form below.

 

Finance Queries:

jp.team@tradefinanceglobal.com

trade.team@tradefinanceglobal.com

Partnership Queries:

introducers@tradefinanceglobal.com

Find out more about partnering with us here.

 

Want to learn more about Trade Finance?

Look no further. We’ve put together our feature Japan trade finance insights, research and articles, and you can catch the latest thought leadership from the TFG, listen to podcasts and digest the latest in international trade in the region right here.

From the Editor – Trade Finance Insights

Breaking: LIBF endorses TFG’s Trade Finance Talks as an accredited CPD resource Trade Finance Global (TFG) is proud to announce that part of its Trade Finance Talks content has been accredited as official Continuing Professional Development (CPD) resources for a wide range of courses offered by The London Institute of Banking and Finance (LIBF).
The path to paperless: Five tips for UK businesses to prepare for digital trade documents Despite most industries witnessing digital leaps forward over the past decade, the world of trade has kept its focus on paper-based documentation. In fact, trade documents such as promissory notes, bills of lading, and performance bonds have remained relatively unchanged for centuries.
Breaking: FCI releases World Factoring Statistics survey, reports double-digit growth FCI, the global representative body for factoring and financing of open account domestic and international trade receivables, has released their annual World Factoring Statistics report.
2-6 Data Standards - Pradeep Nair - Standard Chartered Data standards: a key to a truly sustainable trade For sustainable trade finance to scale, the industry needs a uniform model for ESG data that can be used by everybody, says Pradeep Nair, Global Head of Structured Solutions and Development of Standard Chartered Bank
Scorching inflation piles pressure on businesses and consumers (2) Scorching inflation piles pressure on businesses and consumers Just as the UK was experiencing record temperatures and a summer heatwave, the annual rate of inflation accelerated to a fresh forty-year high.
Chinese economic growth shackled by isolationist monetary policy Chinese economic growth shackled by isolationist monetary policy Ever since China opened its doors to trade with the world nearly twenty years ago, it’s been touted as the next global economic superpower.
The race is on Will China dominate EV production, or will the EU and Japan rise to the challenge The race is on: Will China dominate EV production, or will the EU and Japan rise to the challenge? The race is on to lead the world in electric vehicle (EV) production. Will China dominate, or will the EU and Japan forge ahead?
After two decades of steady growth, are we at a breakthrough moment for factoring in Asia After two decades of steady growth, are we at a breakthrough moment for factoring in Asia? Twenty years ago Asia had a 12% share of the global factoring market. Today that share is 25%.

In this article, FCI’s Lin Hui looks at factoring’s two decades of steady growth in Asia, and where the industry goes from here…

2021 Year in Review 2021 – A Year in Review with Trade Finance Global As the clocks struck midnight, we looked back at over 700 articles, handpicking our favourite stories that made the headlines in 2021

Videos – Trade Finance

Trade Finance Frequently Asked Questions

What types of Trade & Receivables Finance does TFG offer?

TFG assists companies to access trade and receivables finance through our relationships with 270+ banks, funds and alternative finance houses.

We assist specialist companies to scale their trade volumes, by matching them with appropriate financing structures – based on geographies, products, sector and trade cycles. Contact us to find out more.

Trade Finance & Stock Finance

  • Trade Finance (Purchase Order Finance)
  • Stock Finance
  • Pre Export Finance
  • Import & Export Finance
  • Structured Commodity Finance
  • Letters of Credit
  • Bonds & Guarantees

Receivables Finance & Invoice Finance

  • Receivables Purchase
  • Invoice Finance
  • Discounting
  • Factoring
  • Supply Chain Finance

Specialist Trade & Receivables Finance

  • Borrowing Base Facilities
  • Back-To-Back LC Lines
  • Long Dated Receivables – Media, Sport
  • Revolving Credit Facilities (RCF)
What is the process for applying for trade finance?

1. Application

The initial ‘credit’ application drives the process when applying for credit.

Lenders will often ask for information on current assets or collateral that the business owns, including debt and overdrafts, assets that the company or directors own (property, equipment, invoices).

2. Evaluating the Application

The evaluation process will normally involve some kind of credit scoring process, taking into account any vulnerabilities such as the market the business is entering, probability of default and even the integrity and quality of management.

3. Negotiation

Eligible SMEs applying for trade finance can negotiate terms with lenders. An SME’s aim with a lender is to secure finance on the most favourable terms and price. Some of the terms that can be negotiated can include fees and fixed charges, as well as interest rates.

4. The Approval Process and Documentation of a Loan

Typically, the account officer who initially deals with the applicant and collects all of the documentation will do an initial credit and risk analysis. This then goes to a specific committee or the next level of credit authority for approval. If the loan is agreed (on a preliminary basis) it goes to the legal team to ensure that collateral can be secured/ protected and to mitigate any risks in the case of default.

Read our full ‘trade finance application process’ here.

Strategic Partners:

Get in touch with our Japan trade team

Speak to our trade finance team

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About the Author

Sheena is responsible for the TFG Weekly Trade Briefings and content at Trade Finance Global.

With an extensive background in WordPress CMS and Digital Marketing, she loves the digitalization of trade and is fascinated about its impact on day to day transactions.

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