IN THE NEWS / 'No pressure,' says BOJ's 1st female branch manager

Shingo Sugime / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

Despite her recent appointment as the first female branch manager in the 128-year history of the Bank of Japan, Tokiko Shimizu says she feels no pressure. She's probably telling the truth, for this is not the first, or even the second time she's broken such ground at the central bank.

Shimizu was also the first woman to be appointed deputy head of the bank's London office, her former post, and the first to be in charge of foreign exchange intervention.

She now heads the Takamatsu branch, a prestigious location where two of the central bank's former governors once worked.

"I regard [being called 'the first woman'] as encouragement, and I'll use it as a springboard for my efforts," she said with a calm smile.

Shimizu majored in urban engineering at the University of Tokyo, but entered the central bank because she "wanted to explore her potential." She worked for many years in the bank's Financial Markets Department, which deals with foreign exchange analysis and market operation.

People around Shimizu describe her as "extremely powerful." Shimizu herself said confidently, "A professional central banker can never compromise."

She's already demonstrated her commitment in this regard: Once when Shimizu was responsible for preparing documents, she tried to include the latest information from the New York market in the data for a monetary policy meeting. She left home early in the morning to do so, but had a bad fall shortly after leaving the house.

She ended up rushing to the office by taxi, bleeding from her face.

Shimizu's personal motto is "lithely but vigorously." She pursues a diverse range of activities on her holidays--playing golf and tennis and watching noh and kabuki performances in kimono.

But her top priority is of course closely watching the local economy, which is showing signs of recovery.