Finastra Supports JICA with Loan IQ to Transform Private-Sector Investment Finance System in Japan

Finastra, a global leader in financial services software, has announced the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)’s successful go-live with the Loan IQ platform. This project aims to modernize JICA’s core system for private-sector investment finance, an increasingly expanding initiative that provides loans to private sector projects in developing countries.

The implementation for JICA represents the first-ever deployment of Loan IQ in Japan. The solution, implemented in partnership with IBM Japan, supports JICA’s growing need for scalable, flexible, and globally compliant lending capabilities.

With Loan IQ at its core, the system enables end-to-end management of international private sector loan transactions and supports loans denominated in Japanese yen, U.S. dollars, euros and local currencies. The move is expected to enhance operational efficiency, accuracy and readiness for future expansion of Private-Sector Investment Finance.

“We expect that this transformation will strengthen our ability to mobilize private capital for development, and to support increasingly diverse financial structures, enhancing the foundation of JICA’s private sector operations,” said TAKETSURU Eiko, Director of Information System Division 2, Information System Department at JICA.

JICA is Japan’s primary agency for Official Development Assistance. It provides long-term, concessional financing to infrastructure and social development projects in developing countries. As the need for private funds to address various economic and social issues in developing countries is increasing, the demand for its Private-Sector Investment Finance scheme is expected to grow. In response to that, the introduction of a robust and adaptable platform that aligns with global standards is necessary.

Finastra’s Loan IQ solution offers end-to-end lifecycle management — from transaction setup and approval to disbursement, interest and fee calculations, and final repayment. It is widely used by commercial and development financial institutions globally.

“JICA plays a critical role in advancing sustainable development in emerging markets,” said Andrew Bateman, EVP for Lending at Finastra. “We’re proud that Loan IQ now powers JICA’s private sector lending operations, enabling it to streamline processes and scale impact in line with its mission.”

The project was implemented by IBM Japan, which provided development, data migration, user training and operational support. IBM’s expertise in public-private finance and its experience with Finastra deployments were key to the successful rollout.

Key benefits of the new system include:

• Streamlined operations: A unified platform for loan lifecycle management reduces complexity and manual work
• Flexible product design: Adapts to diverse loan structures and changing market needs
• Global standard compliance: Builds a reliable and scalable core aligned with international benchmarks

This go-live marks another successful deployment of Finastra technology in the Asia-Pacific region and strengthens its position as a trusted partner for development finance institutions worldwide.