Postal savings - Yubinchokin

Japanese: 郵便貯金 - ゆうびんちょきん

This was a savings business operated by Japan Post through post office counters before the privatization of postal services. On April 1, 2003, the national public corporation "Japan Post" was established, taking over the three postal businesses of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' Postal Services Agency (formerly the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications), and the postal savings business was also taken over by this public corporation. After that, with the privatization of postal services, on October 1, 2007, Japan Post was privatized and spun off into the Japan Post Group, and Japan Post was abolished. The Japan Post Group consists of the holding company Japan Post Holdings Co., Ltd. and four operating companies Japan Post Network Co., Ltd. (Post Office), Japan Post Service Co., Ltd. (now Japan Post), Japan Post Bank Co., Ltd., and Japan Post Insurance Co., Ltd. (Japan Post Insurance). Postal savings operations were taken over by Japan Post Bank and the Independent Administrative Institution Management Organization for Postal Savings and Postal Life Insurance (hereafter referred to as the Management Organization for Postal Savings and Postal Life Insurance). (On October 1, 2012, Japan Post Network Co., Ltd. and Post Service Co., Ltd. merged to become Japan Post Co., Ltd.)

Since its establishment in 1875 (Meiji 8), Postal Savings has consistently occupied a central position in the field of personal savings and can be said to have played an important role in fostering a saving mentality and facilitating the healthy asset formation of the nation.

[Shiro Hara and Osamu Kitai]

Features

Originally, the first distinctive feature of postal savings was that it was the most convenient and familiar to the general public, offering fair service at the more than 20,000 post office counters throughout the country. For this reason, postal savings was almost entirely for personal use, with small amounts per account and serving as an accumulation of long-term personal savings deposits, and its usage was universal, without bias toward any particular social class.

The second characteristic was that all funds collected as postal savings were required to be deposited in the Fund Management Department of the former Ministry of Finance. Most of these funds were managed by the Ministry of Finance as a source of funds for absorbing government bonds and for fiscal investment and loan, but from fiscal 1987 (Showa 62), part of the funds were loaned again to the Postal Savings Special Account as a financial liberalization countermeasure fund, and the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications managed them in government bonds, local government bonds, government guaranteed bonds, financial bonds, enterprise bonds, foreign bonds, money trusts with principal compensation, bank deposits, etc. Therefore, the expenses for collecting postal savings deposits were the interest paid, as well as the interest income from the Fund Management Department and the investment profits obtained from the management of the financial liberalization countermeasure fund, but the deposit interest rate was decided by the Minister of Finance after deliberation in the Fund Management Council, with reference to market interest rates. After that, the Ministry of Finance (Financial Bureau), which was renamed from the Ministry of Finance in the central government reorganization in 2001 (Heisei 13), took over the management of the Fiscal Loan Fund (formerly the Fund Management Department fund). However, since postal savings and postal life insurance became the responsibility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and since 2003, the Japan Post Public Corporation, the Ministry of Finance's operating funds have been greatly reduced. Furthermore, the Postal Savings Council was abolished in 2001 and taken over by the Fiscal Investment and Loan Program Subcommittee of the Fiscal System Council of the Ministry of Finance.

The third characteristic was that the company was jointly managed with the postal service and the postal life insurance service, and that efficient business operations were achieved through management efforts, resulting in a low expense ratio.

[Shiro Hara and Osamu Kitai]

kinds

Before privatization, there were various types of postal savings, including ordinary postal savings (savings that can be deposited and withdrawn at any time), savings postal savings (savings in which a fixed amount is deposited once a month when payments are collected), fixed-amount postal savings (savings on which interest is automatically accrued every six months and which can be deposited for up to 10 years, but which can be withdrawn at any time after six months), fixed-term postal savings (savings in which a lump sum is deposited at once for a specified period such as six months or one year), postal housing savings savings (savings in which a fixed amount is deposited once a month for the purpose of receiving a loan from the former Japan Housing Loan Corporation (business succeeded by the Japan Housing Finance Agency) and others for the construction or purchase of a home to be used for one's own residence, and saving the necessary funds), and postal education savings savings (savings in which a fixed amount is deposited once a month for the purpose of receiving a small loan for education from the National Life Finance Corporation (business succeeded by the Japan Finance Corporation) and others, and saving the necessary funds). After privatization, ordinary postal savings and ordinary savings deposits (those with a balance of 100,000 yen or more that earn a more favorable interest rate than ordinary savings and can be freely deposited and withdrawn) were taken over by Japan Post Bank, while fixed-term postal savings (including fixed-amount postal savings, fixed-term postal savings, postal savings for housing, postal savings for education, and those that have matured and become ordinary postal savings) were taken over by the Japan Post Savings and Postal Insurance Management Corporation. The ordinary postal savings and ordinary savings deposits taken over by Japan Post Bank became Japan Post Bank's "ordinary savings" and "ordinary savings deposits" respectively, and were no longer guaranteed by the government as they were until then, and were protected by the deposit insurance system like other financial institutions, but those taken over by the Japan Post Savings and Postal Insurance Management Corporation will continue to be guaranteed by the government until maturity. In addition, the Postal Savings and Postal Insurance Management Corporation took over the "Postal Savings Secured Loan" (Yu-Yu Loan), which provides loans of up to 3 million yen up to 90% of the principal and interest amount using fixed-amount postal savings etc. as collateral.

[Shiro Hara and Osamu Kitai]

Transition

Since its establishment, postal savings has been exempt from tax on interest, in accordance with its mission. However, since fiscal 1988, when the tax exemption system for small savings was abolished (excluding those aged 65 or older and single-parent households), a uniform 20% withholding tax has been imposed on postal savings interest. The postal savings deposit limit per individual is 10 million yen. Furthermore, before the establishment of the public corporation, the interest rate on postal savings was to be determined by government ordinance. When this was changed, due consideration was given to the mission of postal savings, the promotion of the public interest, and the contribution to the increase of savings, while also taking into account the interest rates on deposits at general financial institutions. In such cases, the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications (Minister of Posts and Telecommunications until December 2000) was required to consult with the Postal Affairs Council.

After the establishment of the Japan Post Public Corporation, the Postal Savings Law (Law No. 144 of 1947) was amended as follows. Article 2's "nationalization of postal savings" became "implementation of postal savings," and postal savings operations became conducted by Japan Post. Article 3's "national guarantee" became "government guarantee," and the government guaranteed the corporation's debts related to the repayment of savings and interest on savings. The savings interest rate became "interest shall be paid at an interest rate determined by the corporation based on the savings interest rate determination policy set by the corporation" (Article 12 of the same law), and Article 70 states that the "determination policy for savings interest rates" must be approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications. The same applies when this policy is changed. And when interest rates are determined based on this determination policy, a notice must be submitted to the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications in advance. The same applies when this policy is changed. In other words, the interest rate determination policy requires the approval of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, but once it is approved, the interest rate can be determined by simply submitting a notice. Here too, it can be said that the public corporation's management freedom has increased. Of course, consideration of general financial institutions remains as before. The "Postal Affairs Council" from the time of the Postal Services Agency has changed its name to the "Postal Administration Council."

Since privatization in October 2007, the postal savings service previously operated by Japan Post has been taken over by Japan Post Bank and the Japan Post Insurance Management Corporation in accordance with the Postal Privatization Act (Act No. 97 of October 21, 2005, last revised by Act No. 58 of May 25, 2007). Japan Post is required to dispose of all of its shares in Japan Post Bank and Japan Post Insurance as soon as possible, so that they can be fully privatized.

[Shiro Hara and Osamu Kitai]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

郵政民営化前に日本郵政公社が郵便局の窓口を通じて行っていた貯金事業。2003年（平成15）4月1日、総務省郵政事業庁（旧、郵政省）の郵政三事業を引き継いで国営公社「日本郵政公社」が発足、郵便貯金事業も同公社に引き継がれた。その後、郵政民営化により、2007年10月1日、日本郵政公社が日本郵政グループへと民営化、分社化され、日本郵政公社は廃止された。日本郵政グループは、持株会社「日本郵政株式会社」と、四つの事業会社「郵便局株式会社（郵便局）」「郵便事業株式会社（現、日本郵便）」「株式会社ゆうちょ銀行」「株式会社かんぽ生命保険（かんぽ生命）」となり、郵便貯金に関する業務は、ゆうちょ銀行と独立行政法人郵便貯金・簡易生命保険管理機構（以下、郵貯・簡保管理機構と略す）へと引き継がれた（2012年10月1日「郵便局株式会社」と「郵便事業株式会社」は統合し、「日本郵便株式会社」となった）。

　郵便貯金は、1875年（明治8）の創業以来、終始一貫して個人貯蓄分野の中心的地位にたち、貯蓄心の涵養(かんよう)と国民の健全な資産形成に重要な役割を果たしてきたといえよう。

［原　司郎・北井　修］

特徴

元来、郵便貯金の特徴の第一は、全国に2万有余あった郵便局の窓口で、あまねく公平なサービスを提供するということから、その利用が国民全般にとって、もっとも手近で親しみやすいところにあった。このため、郵便貯金は、ほとんどすべてが個人の利用であって、一口座当りの金額も小さく、長期滞留性をもつ個人貯蓄性預金の集積となっており、かつその利用状況も特定の階層に偏ることなく、普遍的なものとなってきた。

　第二の特徴は、郵便貯金として集められた資金は、全額、旧大蔵省資金運用部に預託することが義務づけられていた。この資金の大部分は、大蔵省によって国債の消化と財政投融資の原資として運用されていたが、1987年度（昭和62）以降、一部の資金は金融自由化対策資金としてふたたび郵便貯金特別会計に貸し付けられ、郵政大臣が国債、地方債、政府保証債、金融債、事業債、外国債、元本補償のある金銭信託、銀行預金などに運用していた。したがって郵便貯金の預金を集める経費は、支払利子とともに資金運用部からの預託利子収入と金融自由化対策資金の運用によって得られた運用収益となっていたが、預託利率は市場金利を参考として大蔵大臣が資金運用審議会の議を経て決定することとなっていた。その後、2001年（平成13）の中央省庁再編で大蔵省から改称された財務省（理財局）が、財政融資資金（旧、資金運用部資金）の運用を引き継いだ。しかし、この郵便貯金と簡易保険は総務省の、2003年からは日本郵政公社の自主運用となったことから、財務省の運用資金は大幅に減ることになった。また、資金運用審議会は2001年に廃止され、財務省の財政制度等審議会財政投融資分科会に引き継がれた。

　第三の特徴は、郵便事業および簡易生命保険事業と共同経営されていることや経営努力により効率的な事業経営がなされ、その経費率が低いことであった。

［原　司郎・北井　修］

種類

民営化される以前、郵便貯金には、通常郵便貯金（随時預入れおよび払戻しができる貯金）、積立郵便貯金（一定の金額を毎月1回集金に応じて預入れする貯金）、定額郵便貯金（半年ごとに利子が自動的に付され、10年まで預入れできるが、半年を過ぎるといつでも払い戻すことができる貯金）、定期郵便貯金（6か月、1年といった期間を定め、まとまった金額を一時に預入れする貯金）、住宅積立郵便貯金（自己の居住の用に供する住宅の建設または購入につき旧住宅金融公庫＝住宅金融支援機構へ事業継承＝などから資金の貸付を受け、かつ必要な資金を貯蓄することを目的として一定の金額を毎月1回預入れする貯金）、教育積立郵便貯金（自己またはその親族の進学などにつき、国民生活金融公庫＝日本政策金融公庫へ事業継承＝などから教育資金の小口貸付を受け、かつ必要な資金を貯蓄することを目的として一定の金額を毎月1回預入れする貯金）などの種類があった。これらは民営化後、通常郵便貯金と通常貯蓄貯金（残高が10万円以上の場合、通常貯金よりも有利な利子がつき預入れおよび払戻しが自由な貯金）はゆうちょ銀行、定期性の郵便貯金（定額郵便貯金、定期郵便貯金、積立郵便貯金、住宅積立郵便貯金、教育積立郵便貯金、またこれらの満期等が到来し通常郵便貯金となったものを含む）は郵貯・簡保管理機構が継承した。ゆうちょ銀行が継承した通常郵便貯金と通常貯蓄貯金は、それぞれゆうちょ銀行の「通常貯金」「通常貯蓄貯金」となり、それまでの政府保証はなく、他の金融機関と同様、預金保険制度による保護の対象となったが、郵貯・簡保管理機構が継承したものに関しては満期まで政府保証が継続される。また、定額郵便貯金などを担保として元利金額の90％以内で最高300万円まで貸し付ける「郵便貯金担保貸付け」（ゆうゆうローン）については、郵貯・簡保管理機構が継承した。

［原　司郎・北井　修］

変遷

郵便貯金は創業以来、その使命からみて利子に対する課税が免除されてきたが、1988年度以降、少額貯蓄非課税制度の廃止（65歳以上の高齢者や母子家庭を除く）とともに、郵便貯金の利子にも一律20％の源泉課税がなされることとなった。なお、郵便貯金の一個人当り預入れ限度は1000万円となっている。また、郵便貯金の利率は、公社発足前は、政令で定めることになっていた。そして、これを変更するときには、郵便貯金の使命に留意し、国民の利益を増進し、貯蓄の増強に資するよう十分な考慮を払うとともに、あわせて一般の金融機関の預金の利率についても配慮することとされていた。その際、総務大臣（2000年12月までは郵政大臣）は郵政審議会に諮問しなくてはならない、となっていた。

　郵政公社発足後は、郵便貯金法（昭和22年法律第144号）は次のように改正された。第2条の「郵便貯金の国営」は「郵便貯金の実施」となり、郵便貯金の業務は日本郵政公社が行う、となった。第3条の「国の保証」は「政府保証」となり、政府は貯金の払戻しおよびその貯金の利子にかかわる公社の債務を保証する、となった。貯金の利率については、「公社の定める貯金の利率の決定方針に基づき公社が定める利率によって、利子を付ける」（同法第12条）となり、「貯金の利率の決定方針」については、第70条で、総務大臣の認可を受けなくてはならない。これを変更するときも同様、とある。そして、その決定方針に基づき利率を定めるときは、あらかじめ、総務大臣に届け出なければならない。これを変更するときも同様である、とある。つまり、利率の決定方針については、総務大臣の認可が必要だが、それが認可されれば、利率の決定は届け出だけでいい、ということである。ここでも、公社の経営の自由度は、増したといえる。もちろん、一般の金融機関への配慮が必要、というのは従来どおりである。なお、郵政事業庁時代の「郵政審議会」は名称変更して、「郵政行政審議会」となった。

　2007年10月の民営化以降、それまで日本郵政公社が行ってきた郵便貯金については、郵政民営化法（平成17年10月21日法律第97号、最終改正平成19年5月25日法律第58号）に基づき、ゆうちょ銀行と郵貯・簡保管理機構によって引き継がれた。ゆうちょ銀行およびかんぽ生命に関して、日本郵政が2社の全株式をなるべく早く処分し、完全民営化されることが求められている。

［原　司郎・北井　修］