FinCity.tokyo

Tokyo and Frankfurt Sign Agreement to Accelerate Financial Cooperation

The two financial hubs will collaborate on financing for the green transition and AI-driven finance solutions, and expand knowledge exchange on societal challenges facing Japan and Germany.

Tokyo, February 6, 2026 — The two financial hubs of Tokyo and Frankfurt have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to bolster cooperation amid ongoing global tensions, concerns over climate change, and rapid advancement of disruptive new technologies.

The MOU was signed on February 4 at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo by the Chairmen of the financial promotional organizations of the two cities, Mr. Hiroshi Nakaso of FinCity.Tokyo and Mr. Oliver Behrens of Frankfurt Main Finance. The MOU will create a framework for mutual capital market development and institutional cooperation through conferences and forums, delegations and joint projects. The expanded cooperation will also improve knowledge exchange on how to tackle challenges common to both countries, such as how to maintain growth amid rapidly aging populations and meeting the energy demand of power-hungry digital infrastructure.

With the world grappling with the question of how to finance a green transition in coming decades, a key area of cooperation will be to promote financial services that contribute to a climate-resilient, low-carbon future, such as green and social bonds, transition finance, alternative investments and infrastructure investment. In fact, the MOU itself is a natural extension of a joint Tokyo-Frankfurt project in 2023 to study how to finance net-zero transformations through resilient global supply chains.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Nakaso said global volatility had given the Tokyo-Frankfurt collaboration new strategic weight. “Germany and Japan share not only economic interests, but also security interests in maintaining resilient supply chains, financial stability, technological sovereignty, and a rule-based international order.”

Technology is also a promising area of collaboration, following the establishment of the European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) in Frankfurt in mid-2025. The creation of AMLA, which will use big data and AI detect illegal capital flows, will be accompanied by the launch of tech labs and sandboxes where companies can trial new AI-driven compliance solutions. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Behrens warmly welcomed Japanese firms to contribute their strengths in data governance and world-class technology.

Mr. Nakaso commented: “In areas such as decarbonization and economic security, providing growth capital to critical infrastructure is of growing importance. At the same time, the emergence of new funds, including Central Bank Digital Currency, is almost certain to alter the financial landscape in the coming years. In responding to these evolving financial trends, cooperation between Tokyo and Frankfurt offers unique strength.”

Mr. Behrens commented, “I want to acknowledge the deep trust placed on us by the Japanese community. We are very proud that many Japanese top financial leaders have chosen Frankfurt for their headquarters. I am confident that this MOU will be regarded as the starting point of a long-lasting and fruitful area of cooperation.”

You can read the full text of the press release from here