ACAMS Japan Chapter: The ACAMS Japan Chapter Convenes Its First In-Person Event

ACAMS Japan Chapter: The ACAMS Japan Chapter Convenes Its First In-Person Event
Event attendees watching the presentation.

The ACAMS Japan Chapter, which launched in January 2021, successfully held its first in-person event in March 2024, withstanding the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The chapter would like to take this opportunity to express their appreciation to all the chapter members.

The event consisted of two parts: A seminar and a networking gala. Attendees of the seminar included a couple of working group members of the Japan Financial Intelligence Center (JAFIC), a financial intelligence unit in Japan, who were involved in editing the latest national risk assessment, while the chapter held the gala with snacks and drinks as a post-seminar event where participants could network with each other.

Japan Chapter
Pictured left to right are: Tomonori Suzuki, joint general manager, Anti Money Laundering & Financial Crime Prevention Department for Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation; Takashi Matsumoto, cyber analyst, Security Department for DeNA Co. Ltd.; Masako Koseki, deputy director, Japan Financial Intelligence Center with the National Police Agency; and Tomoko Oshima, ACAMS Japan Chapter co-chair and managing director, Japan head of Financial Crime Compliance for MUFG Bank Ltd.

About the In-Person Seminar

The social event enabled chapter members to see each other literally in person and exchange business cards to facilitate networking with industry peers

During the in-person seminar, clarifications regarding the risks inherent to new technologies such as electrical payment instruments as well as ransomware were presented. Specifically, attendees enjoyed a precious opportunity to have a lecture directly from the regulators about these risks focusing on stablecoins as part of electrical payment instruments. In addition, in a lecture about ransomware, chapter members had the opportunity to share unique knowledge from the National Police Agency of Japan concerning emerging financial crime techniques. In particular, the discussion of a case where the National Police Agency provided overseas counterparties with a recovery tool to combat Lockbit, the infamous cybercrime group, was impressive and of significant interest to the audience.

Japan Chapter
Welcome remarks were delivered by the ACAMS Japan Chapter co-chair, Shuichiro Mita, director, Financial Advisory for KPMG. The moderator was Tomoko Oshima.

About the In-Person Gala

Prior to this in-person event, the chapter held a series of online networking events via Zoom, yet there is no doubt that participants had a lot more fun than ever before at the March gala. The social event enabled chapter members to see each other literally in person and exchange business cards to facilitate networking with industry peers. In fact, the participants seemed to fully enjoy “in-depth talks,” which enabled them to get to know each other.

Going forward, in light of post-COVID-19 circumstances, the ACAMS Japan Chapter plans to hold more in-person events in addition to online webinars. Please take this opportunity to join the ACAMS Japan Chapter so you do not miss these valuable opportunities.

Hirofumi Suzuki, CAMS, CGSS, communication director, ACAMS Japan Chapter; senior manager, Compliance Department, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation

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