The Top 10  Most Difficult Countries for Identity Verification

The Top 10  Most Difficult Countries for Identity Verification

Download Report

    n-img-roi-cross

    Before You Go, Schedule Your Free Demo Today

    Valid Invalid number


    Note: Fields marked with an asterisk(*) are mandatory.

    n-exit-img-roi-cross

    Thank you for your demo request

    We appreciate your interest and look forward to discussing how our solution can meet your needs. Expect to hear from us shortly with scheduling details.

    Close

    Japan’s AML/CFT Assessment – August 2021 Report

    FATF’s

    Financial crime is soaring sky high with digitisation becoming a part of our daily lives. Cyber actors not only exploit potential vulnerabilities in existing systems but make the financial system prone to even greater threats such as money laundering and terrorist financing. To cater to these increasing risks, the Paris-based global financial watchdog, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), keeps a vigilant eye on predicate offences and organised monetary crime. It regularly audits country-wide frameworks for Anti Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) to keep financial sector safe from perpetrators.

    This blog highlights the recent mutual evaluation report of Japan issued by FATF on August 30, 2021. It details Japan’s AML/CFT efforts, how well objectives are met, and what priority actions need to be put in place. 

    Salient Features of the Evaluation 

    Risks and the Current Context

    According to FATF, principal money laundering risks identified by Japan include the Boryokudan members carrying out transnational organised crime, loan sharking, illegal remittances, money extortion, drug trafficking and gambling. As far as terrorist financing is concerned, foreign fighters and particular idealist extremists operating from different parts of the world pose certain TF risks. Japan’s overall assessment shows that terrorism financing risks a comparatively low.

    blog3

    The State of Compliance and Effectiveness 

    Japan developed an enforceable AML/CFT framework in 2011 and 2014 that introduced beneficial ownership information and emphasized ongoing CDD and verification of Politically Exposed Person (PEPs). Banking terms and conditions with customers from high-risk countries were also revised considering ML risks. Japanese financial watchdogs in 2018 and 2019 added further ML/TF mitigation obligations for FIs and Virtual Currency Exchange Providers (VCEPs). 

    While compliance is effectively implemented throughout banks and other financial institutions, there exist certain technical loopholes when it comes to Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs). Apart from that,  there are inadequacies that affect implementation of sanctions for ML offences, certain physical elements to combat TF activities, and transparency regarding legal persons and subsequent arrangements. 

    Risk Assessment and Coordination 

    While Japan has a sound understanding of ML/TF risks, there are particular areas where the National Risk Assessment (NRA) and other related evaluations can be improved. Apprehension of broader risks to the Japanese economy and cross-border crimes, acquiring information from Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), improving requirements for suspicious transaction reporting (STR), and focusing more on potential vulnerabilities are the main objectives for Japan’s risks assessment. 

    Terrorism financing in Japan is well-demonstrated by experts which is why TF risks are relatively low as compared to other crime-ridden countries. But CFT compliance procedures are more focused on risks, creating gaps in prosecution policies and implementation of Targeted Financial Sanctions (TFS).

    Agreement with AML Obligations

    The FATF expects Financial Institutions (FIs), DNFBPs and Virtual Asset Service Providers to have a sound understanding of AML requirements. Timely implementing them through effective policies and procedures, and conducting risk-based assessments for high-risk transactions should be part of Japan’s financial action plan. Moreover, transactional monitoring, asset freezing measures, and preserving beneficial ownership (BO) information need to be in place for enhanced due diligence compliance. 

    Increase ML Offence Penalties

    As per the FATF report, Japan needs to increase the use of ML offence to make sure serious predicate offences are properly dealt with. In this regard, Japan needs to take the following steps:

    • Extensive consideration of money laundering at the initial stage of investigation
    • Prioritise targeting third-party money laundering offences by incorporating a wide array of offences, especially including crimes types having a high-end profit
    blog2

    Streamline Information Sharing

    Develop a nation-wide infrastructure to implement robust measures between the Public Prosecutors Office (PPO), Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and the National Police Agency (NPA) to establish better information sharing standards. This is important to improve the overall level of investigation and prioritisation of severe ML instances as well as the prosecution rate for cases. For instance, the PPO’s application of discretion could be reconsidered to implement policies for stringent prosecution of money laundering cases. In this regard, Japan’s financial intelligence infrastructure is of prime importance which uses high-end technology for complex financial investigations. 

    Read More: Japanese FSA to Beef Up AML Systems from Fiscal 2021

    Strengthen AML/CFT Supervision 

    Japan needs to revise its supervision measures for combating financial crime across the country. An approach based on risk-basis should be developed that emphasises a combination of on-site examinations and off-site monitoring. These procedures are essential for evaluating precautions, and checking whether dissuasive penalties and remedial standards are in place, thereby ensuring  compliance by FIs, VASPs and DNFBPs. 

    Revising the Terrorism Financing Act

    FATF advised Japan to adopt binding and practical methods for CFT compliance by amending the Terrorism Financing (TF) Act. This specific recommendation ensures that funding of individually-operating terrorists and terrorist groups is outlawed, in case a link to an act of terrorism is not available. Further adding to this, Japan needs to resolve technical deficiencies in its TF Act for criminalising such cases right away. The proposals are highlighted in the Recommendation 5 analysis provided in the comprehensive evaluation report by FATF

    Summing It Up

    • FATF believes that Japan is by and large cognizant of ML/TF risks given the large amount of assessment conducted
    • Although CFT compliance focuses more on the risks, it needs to address concerns in prosecution procedures as well
    • Financial intelligence frameworks used by LEAs are highly developed to trace assets and support targeting suspects
    • FIs, VASPs and DNFBPs need to be well-aware of verifying beneficial ownership and identity information when onboarding customers
    • Information sharing between national and domestic regulatory authorities needs to be improved for severe ML/TF cases

    Are you a business seeking compliance with global AML/CFT laws? Try out our AML screening solution right away and decide for yourself. 

    Related Posts

    Blog

    COVID Passports – Bringing Convenience to the Travel & Tourism Sector

    “Sorry, the earth is closed today.”  Tony Stark’s sarcastic dialogue became the worst possible re...

    COVID Passports – Bringing Convenience to the Travel & Tourism Sector Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    Common Online Scams You Need to Know About

    The explosion of the internet and the world moving towards the fourth industrial revolution have ...

    Common Online Scams You Need to Know About Explore More

    Blog

    Implementation of AML compliance – Challenges and fundamentals

    With the advancement in security controls, financial businesses are becoming fraud and stress-fre...

    Implementation of AML compliance – Challenges and fundamentals Explore More

    Blog

    The FATF Travel Rule: What Business Owners Must Know

    The rapidly evolving landscape of technology and cryptocurrency has made the regulation of digita...

    The FATF Travel Rule: What Business Owners Must Know Explore More

    Blog

    AML & KYC Compliance – 5 Ways AI is Supporting the Fight Against Financial Crimes

      Reforming AML & KYC Compliance Structures for Financial Institutions The capabilities ...

    AML & KYC Compliance – 5 Ways AI is Supporting the Fight Against Financial Crimes Explore More

    Blog

    Debunking the Top 5 Misconceptions about KYC Compliance

    Know Your Customer (KYC) compliance suffers from the issue of unintentional secrecy. Businesses h...

    Debunking the Top 5 Misconceptions about KYC Compliance Explore More

    Blog

    Top 5 Cybersecurity Trends to Look Out for in 2022

    With 2022 just around the corner, new developments in cybersecurity are already beginning to take...

    Top 5 Cybersecurity Trends to Look Out for in 2022 Explore More

    Blog

    Augmented Intelligence – What 2019 have for AI systems?

    Admittedly, Artificial Intelligence or AI has gained a considerable amount of ill reputation from...

    Augmented Intelligence – What 2019 have for AI systems? Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    Identity Verification – Key to Eliminate BEC Fraud

    Fraud prevention and cybersecurity are the major concerns of the companies in the digital era. No...

    Identity Verification – Key to Eliminate BEC Fraud Explore More

    Blog, Fraud Prevention

    Face Verification Technology Grooving in the Education Sector

    We are now in a golden age of face recognition. The main reason for rapid adoption is recognition...

    Face Verification Technology Grooving in the Education Sector Explore More

    Blog

    FATF’s High-Risk Jurisdictions [2022 Update] – How Business Can Comply

    Paris-based global watchdog FATF (Financial Action Task Force) maintains lists of countries that ...

    FATF’s High-Risk Jurisdictions [2022 Update] – How Business Can Comply Explore More

    Blog

    How Optical Character Recognition is Changing the Financial Industry

    Banking and other financial services are the world’s most closely watched and strictly gove...

    How Optical Character Recognition is Changing the Financial Industry Explore More

    Blog

    Cross Border Digital Payments – Regulatory Regime and the Global Context

    The world is moving towards smarter payments with technology trends picking up the pace in 2021. ...

    Cross Border Digital Payments – Regulatory Regime and the Global Context Explore More

    Blog

    Securing Investment Industry with Shufti’s Investor Verification Solution

    In this tech-driven world, perpetrators and organized crime groups are adopting sophisticated met...

    Securing Investment Industry with Shufti’s Investor Verification Solution Explore More

    Blog

    5 Features of the Best Transaction Monitoring Solution

    Criminals are continuously devising sophisticated strategies to launder illegally-acquired money....

    5 Features of the Best Transaction Monitoring Solution Explore More

    Blog

    Working from Home Spikes Demand for Digital Identity Verification

    Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, many businesses are grounded or are enforced to work from home. ...

    Working from Home Spikes Demand for Digital Identity Verification Explore More

    Blog

    The Crucial Role of Digital Onboarding and Ongoing KYC Monitoring

    In this digital world, users expect convenience, speed, and greater security. Businesses that off...

    The Crucial Role of Digital Onboarding and Ongoing KYC Monitoring Explore More

    Blog

    KYC Verification – Fraud Prevention in FinTech & the Payments Industry

    The growth of the online payment industry and FinTech companies comes with a simultaneous increas...

    KYC Verification – Fraud Prevention in FinTech & the Payments Industry Explore More

    Blog

    Here’s to 2021 – NFTs Conquering the Crypto Market

    From DeFi’s in 2020 to NFTs in 2021, a lot has changed in the crypto market. Since the beginning ...

    Here’s to 2021 – NFTs Conquering the Crypto Market Explore More

    Blog

    Securing Gig Economy Operations and Contributing to the Growth with KYC Solutions

    Startups, SMEs, and the gig industry have seen unprecedented growth. Not to mention, COVID-19 was...

    Securing Gig Economy Operations and Contributing to the Growth with KYC Solutions Explore More

    Blog

    The Vicious Cycle of Money Laundering in the Gambling Industry

    Money launderers opt for various channels to obscure the origins of their illegally obtained fund...

    The Vicious Cycle of Money Laundering in the Gambling Industry Explore More

    Blog

    Biometric Authentication – How Do Fraudsters Try to Bypass These Checks?

    Biometric authentication is one of the ideal ways of dealing with fraudsters. Unfortunately, crim...

    Biometric Authentication – How Do Fraudsters Try to Bypass These Checks? Explore More

    Blog

    China’s Data Protection and Privacy Laws | 2023 Update

    China has witnessed massive growth in the last few decades. However, the rise of the digital econ...

    China’s Data Protection and Privacy Laws | 2023 Update Explore More

    Blog

    Singapore’s Digital Payment Token and AML Regulations [2022 Updates]

    Financial crimes are an ever-increasing threat to the global economic climate. As a financial hub...

    Singapore’s Digital Payment Token and AML Regulations [2022 Updates] Explore More

    Blog

    Know Your Patient (KYP) | 4 KYP Compliance Trends for 2024

    Nothing is more constant than change, and this is never more evident than in the Know Your Patien...

    Know Your Patient (KYP) | 4 KYP Compliance Trends for 2024 Explore More

    Blog

    What to expect from Booming Identity Verification Market in 2020?

    Technologies hatched by fourth industrial revolution such as the Internet of Things (IoT), roboti...

    What to expect from Booming Identity Verification Market in 2020? Explore More

    Blog

    The Role of KYC Protocols in Safeguarding the Future of Cryptocurrency

    Despite volatility in the crypto sector, millions of individuals access their services worldwide....

    The Role of KYC Protocols in Safeguarding the Future of Cryptocurrency Explore More

    Blog

    The Truth Around DeFi Compliance – Bridging the Transparency Gap

    Financial markets around the world have seen increased popularity with the advent of decentralise...

    The Truth Around DeFi Compliance – Bridging the Transparency Gap Explore More

    Blog

    On-Premises Identity Verification – A Solution to Prevent Data Breaches

    From virtual modes of communication to digitised solutions for operating efficiently, the perks o...

    On-Premises Identity Verification – A Solution to Prevent Data Breaches Explore More

    Blog

    5 Technology Trends To Disrupt Banking in 2020

    Living in the digital era, technology is driving major changes in almost every industry. Whether ...

    5 Technology Trends To Disrupt Banking in 2020 Explore More

    Blog

    The Vital Role of AML Compliance for P2P Lending

    Archiac banking traditions saw loan applicants held in suspense, waiting for lengthy periods of t...

    The Vital Role of AML Compliance for P2P Lending Explore More

    Blog

    Biometric Authentication – How Do Fraudsters Try to Bypass These Checks?

    Biometric authentication is one of the ideal ways of dealing with fraudsters. Unfortunately, crim...

    Biometric Authentication – How Do Fraudsters Try to Bypass These Checks? Explore More

    Blog

    An Insight into AML Compliance in the Financial Sector [2022 Update]

    The increasing global attention towards anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing ...

    An Insight into AML Compliance in the Financial Sector [2022 Update] Explore More

    Blog

    Supplementing blockchain with KYC offers endless possibilities

    While you may be tempted to think that decentralized and anonymous blockchains are safe because t...

    Supplementing blockchain with KYC offers endless possibilities Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    How Real ID Act enables Digital KYC Services for US Customers?

    Digital KYC Services for US based customers are in debt of Real ID Act as it streamlined the proc...

    How Real ID Act enables Digital KYC Services for US Customers? Explore More

    Blog

    e-IDV: Improving Client Onboarding for Banks and FinTech

    Individuals and business owners often face significant time constraints when visiting banks physi...

    e-IDV: Improving Client Onboarding for Banks and FinTech Explore More

    Blog

    The Importance of KYC Remediation to Prevent Financial Crimes

    If we talk about financial institutions including banks and their processes, one can freely argue...

    The Importance of KYC Remediation to Prevent Financial Crimes Explore More

    Blog

    Identification, Verification and Authentication – Cut from the same cloth

    The modern era of technology has brought so many frauds to light. The digitized world has urged b...

    Identification, Verification and Authentication – Cut from the same cloth Explore More

    Blog

    Top 7 Trends Shaping the Future of Gambling Industry in 2023

    Amidst technological advancement and the changing regulatory landscape, the gaming sector demonst...

    Top 7 Trends Shaping the Future of Gambling Industry in 2023 Explore More

    Anti Money Laundering, Blog, Financial Crime / AML

    Why PEPs are High Risk and a Threat To Your Business?

    In the Financial and Trade industry, you may have often heard the term PEPs and the importance of...

    Why PEPs are High Risk and a Threat To Your Business? Explore More

    Blog

    CCPA Compliance Checklist – Is your business ready?

    With the world moving towards digitization, organizations have a customer base from all around th...

    CCPA Compliance Checklist – Is your business ready? Explore More

    Blog

    The Future Of the Financial Sector in the Gulf Region

    Digital transformation, that has undoubtedly disrupted numerous industries worldwide, has reached...

    The Future Of the Financial Sector in the Gulf Region Explore More

    Blog

    CFT & AML Compliance To Hold Back Financial Crimes

    In this digital era, many factors are greasing the wheel of money laundering. Due to online trans...

    CFT & AML Compliance To Hold Back Financial Crimes Explore More

    Blog

    Top 10 AML Trends to Watch for in 2022

    In 2021, the increasing scope of regulatory sanctions has affected businesses globally. The use o...

    Top 10 AML Trends to Watch for in 2022 Explore More

    Blog

    Know Your Player | Onboard Verified Gamers and Scale Globally

    In today’s digitised gaming world, player verification stands as a cornerstone for onboarding leg...

    Know Your Player | Onboard Verified Gamers and Scale Globally Explore More

    Blog

    Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Solutions – Securing Luxury Goods and Curbing Financial Crimes

    Exotic cars, designer clothes, artifacts, and private jets make attractive news headlines and mov...

    Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Solutions – Securing Luxury Goods and Curbing Financial Crimes Explore More

    Blog

    July 2023 Recap: Major Compliance Events and How AML Verification Can Help

    Anti-Money Laundering (AML) violations pose a substantial and concerning threat to the reliabilit...

    July 2023 Recap: Major Compliance Events and How AML Verification Can Help Explore More

    Blog

    The Expected No-Deal Brexit and AML/CFT Laws in the UK

    The current prime minister of the UK Mr. Boris Johnson made a statement that the UK should be rea...

    The Expected No-Deal Brexit and AML/CFT Laws in the UK Explore More

    Blog

    Blockchain Technology and KYC for Crypto Exchanges – How Shufti Can Help

    KYC compliance is the backbone of the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) measures implemented by any fin...

    Blockchain Technology and KYC for Crypto Exchanges – How Shufti Can Help Explore More

    Blog

    Mobile Banking Adoption and the Rising Fraud Concerns Worldwide

    People have been repeatedly talking about the COVID-driven digital “transformation” in the bankin...

    Mobile Banking Adoption and the Rising Fraud Concerns Worldwide Explore More

    Blog

    Difference between KYC and AML

    The growing Fintech industry leads to an increased demand for KYC and AML compliance requirements...

    Difference between KYC and AML Explore More

    Blog

    Crypto 2021: The Rapidly Emerging Context of Virtual Currencies

    Cryptocurrency is in the limelight since the advent of Bitcoin in 2009. Investors like Tesla Inc....

    Crypto 2021: The Rapidly Emerging Context of Virtual Currencies Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    Online Identity Verification – Why Shufti is Perfect for Digital Authentication

    In a short period of time, Shufti has managed to make a significant mark upon the end-to-end ...

    Online Identity Verification – Why Shufti is Perfect for Digital Authentication Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    Common Online Scams You Need to Know About

    The explosion of the internet and the world moving towards the fourth industrial revolution have ...

    Common Online Scams You Need to Know About Explore More

    Blog

    7 Trends in Identity Verification Solutions to look for in 2020

    Internet is an anonymous space where people can hide their identities and come up with bizarre ps...

    7 Trends in Identity Verification Solutions to look for in 2020 Explore More

    Blog

    Video KYC (VKYC) | Identity Verification and Fraud Prevention

    In the last few years, the verification industry has experienced remarkable expansion. As our tec...

    Video KYC (VKYC) | Identity Verification and Fraud Prevention Explore More

    Blog

    Know Your Patient – Balancing Security, Customer Experience and Compliance in the Healthcare Sector

    As the healthcare industry continues to offer life-critical services while making efforts to impr...

    Know Your Patient – Balancing Security, Customer Experience and Compliance  in the Healthcare Sector Explore More

    Blog

    Holiday Season Scams – 5 Ways Identity Verification Can Help You

    The holiday season brings in a lot of joy and harmony for everyone. From thanksgiving to new year...

    Holiday Season Scams – 5 Ways Identity Verification Can Help You Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    Know Your Customer with Video Proof

    Know your Customer (KYC) verification with Shufti, which is becoming a recognised name in the...

    Know Your Customer with Video Proof Explore More

    Blog

    The Benefits and Best Practices of Deploying Facial Recognition in the Workplace

    With the rapid shift towards digitisation, keeping track of the most recent technological develop...

    The Benefits and Best Practices of Deploying Facial Recognition in the Workplace Explore More

    Blog, Financial Crime / AML, Online Marketplace

    Smaller Banks are in dire need of AML Compliance to avoid fines

    Smaller banks are being considered an easy target for money laundering activities because of thei...

    Smaller Banks are in dire need of AML Compliance to avoid fines Explore More

    Blog

    Video KYC (VKYC) | Identity Verification and Fraud Prevention

    In the last few years, the verification industry has experienced remarkable expansion. As our tec...

    Video KYC (VKYC) | Identity Verification and Fraud Prevention Explore More

    Blog

    OCR in Banking | Automating Data Extraction, Customer Onboarding, and ID Verification

    The global Banking and Financial Services Industry (BFSI) is one of the most heavily regulated an...

    OCR in Banking | Automating Data Extraction, Customer Onboarding, and ID Verification Explore More

    Artificial Intelligence, Blog

    How Augmented Intelligence is next stop in ID Verification Services?

    Augmented intelligence (AI), also referred to as intelligence augmentation (IA) and cognitive aug...

    How Augmented Intelligence is next stop in ID Verification Services? Explore More

    Blog

    Top 5 Countries Impacted by Money Laundering – How Shufti Helps Mitigate the Risks

    Today, money laundering has permeated almost every regulated market and has become the most occur...

    Top 5 Countries Impacted by Money Laundering – How Shufti Helps Mitigate the Risks Explore More

    Blog

    5 Ways AI Takes Document Verification to the Next Level

    Data digitisation has made it accessible not only to legitimate users but also to cyber criminals...

    5 Ways AI Takes Document Verification to the Next Level Explore More

    Blog

    EDD in Banking: Going Beyond CDD to Establish Trust in the Digital Age

    With technological advancement, hackers are also becoming smarter to bypass verification processe...

    EDD in Banking: Going Beyond CDD to Establish Trust in the Digital Age Explore More

    Blog

    ICOs blocking investors from USA and China – Why and How?

    Initial Coin Offerings, more commonly known as ICOs, are all the rage in modern day financial wor...

    ICOs blocking investors from USA and China – Why and How? Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    4 Know Your Customer (KYC) Strategies to adopt in 2019

    Digital fraud haunted the cyberspace in 2018 with the majority of online frauds originating from ...

    4 Know Your Customer (KYC) Strategies to adopt in 2019 Explore More

    Blog

    E-KYC – The Next Step in the Evolution of KYC Verification

    As the world shifts to digital applications, financial operations are being automated for added c...

    E-KYC – The Next Step in the Evolution of KYC Verification Explore More

    Blog

    Harnessing the power of AML Screenings to Uncover Politically Exposed Persons [PEPs]

    Since the last decade, governments and financial institutions have been trying to limit corruptio...

    Harnessing the power of AML Screenings to Uncover Politically Exposed Persons [PEPs] Explore More

    Blog

    Social Media Platforms and Increasing Crimes – How Shufti’s ID Verification Services Can Protect

    The rise and evolution of social media have completely transformed the way people communicated an...

    Social Media Platforms and Increasing Crimes – How Shufti’s ID Verification Services Can Protect Explore More

    Take the next steps to better security.

    Contact us

    Get in touch with our experts. We'll help you find the perfect solution for your compliance and security needs.

    Contact us

    Request demo

    Get free access to our platform and try our products today.

    Get started