TOKYO?Japan's securities regulator is expected to propose this week a fine against a unit of Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc .for alleged insider trading, according to people familiar with the matter. The fine would be the second proposed punishment for Chuo Mitsui Asset Trust?now known as Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank after an April merger?for allegedly trading on information in advance of a share offering.
A fund manager at Chuo Mitsui, the asset-management unit of Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, is alleged by the regulator, the Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission, to have acquired information on an offering of Mizuho Financial Group Inc. and sold shares before Mizuho announced the capital-raising in June 2010. Mizuho's stock price fell on the news. The securities watchdog will likely announce as early as Tuesday that it will request a fine in the Mizuho case, the people said. The Financial Services Agency would impose the penalty after the SESC's request. The SESC is an arm of the FSA.
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings, the group parent company, said Monday it is fully cooperating with an investigation by Japan's securities regulator for alleged insider trading before a share offering. "It's true that we're under an investigation by the SESC and we're fully cooperating with them," it said in a statement.
In March, the SESC asked the FSA to fine Chuo Mitsui \50,000, or about $630 , for a similar alleged insider-trading incident involving shares of Inpex Corp.an energy firm. Chuo Mitsui said after that announcement it would make efforts to improve internal controls.