CRD Association is a database organization specializing in credit risk information, established for the purpose of facilitating fund provision to SMEs. We compile financial statements and default information provided by our members to develop various services, including CRD credit risk scoring models that quantify the creditworthiness of businesses. The association was launched in March 2001 at the initiative of the Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, in cooperation with Credit Guarantee Corporations and financial institutions nationwide.
CRD is one of Japan's largest databases of credit risk information on SMEs. It is unbiased in terms of industry, region or business size. Its models are used by Credit Guarantee Corporations to determine guarantee fee rates, which highlights the database's high public interest and critical role in SME finance as a form of social infrastructure. Considering its importance, we maintain the database's high level of accuracy and reliability by conducting annual external evaluations of its data and models by a third-party committee, and we have obtained international standard certification for information security management.
Leveraging the expertise we have cultivated over the years, CRD Association is committed to improving existing services and developing new, diverse offerings. For instance, we partnered with a group of financial institutions to create the Apartment Loan Database, which enhances and streamlines debt management for apartment loans. In 2019, we launched the Transaction Model (T-Forest), which uses AI to provide timely, highly accurate credit assessments based on deposit and withdrawal data. Most recently, in May 2025, we began offering a simplified scoring model that significantly reduces the burden of inputting financial data.
In recent years, we have expanded our activities beyond Japan to the international arena, particularly in Asia. Since 2020, we have participated in a technical cooperation project between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Philippines government, through which we have transferred technology for constructing and operating a credit risk database to the Philippines' central bank (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas). The initial phase concluded in 2024. As of February 2025, we are engaged in the second phase, which focuses on strengthening operational foundations and enhancing sustainability.
Moving forward, the CRD Association will continue to strengthen and expand its role as a vital component of social infrastructure in the form of a credit risk database. We are committed to providing valuable services that benefit our stakeholders and contributing to SME financial inclusion and the advancement of credit risk management.
We sincerely appreciate your continued support and cooperation.
June 2025
Ryota YANAGIHARA
Chairman & CEO