Shearman & Sterling is advising leading Japanese regional banks Fukuoka Financial Group, Inc. (FFG) and The Eighteenth Bank, Ltd. (Eighteenth Bank) on a business integration involving filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.  Upon completion, Eighteenth Bank will become a wholly owned subsidiary of FFG, making it the largest regional bank in Japan in terms of total assets.

The definitive agreement is expected to be executed in August 2016, and the share exchange is expected to be effective on April 1, 2017.

Headquartered in Fukuoka, FFG’s coverage extends throughout the Kyushu region of Japan and covers the three prefectures of Fukuoka, Kumamoto and Nagasaki.