Special report: Straker is partnering with IGUAZU Corporation, famed for its role distributing IBM products in the Japanese tech market, to launch a transformative AI-powered solution to help Japan’s financial sector meet new bilingual disclosure rules.
As Japan’s financial sector braces for stringent new regulations mandating English-language disclosures, Straker (ASX:STG), the sole AI translation and verification company listed on the ASX, has joined forces with Kawasaki based IGUAZU Corporation to introduce SwiftBridge AI—a cutting-edge solution tailored to meet these demands.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange’s directive requires all 1600 Prime Market-listed companies to publish quarterly financial statements in both Japanese and English by April 2025. The move aims to enhance transparency and attract foreign investment but has left many firms scrambling to comply.
SwiftBridge AI is designed to address this urgent need by providing accurate and efficient translations of complex financial documents. At its core is Tiri-J, a specialized language model trained specifically for Japanese financial reporting.
When integrated with IBM’s Watsonx infrastructure, SwiftBridge AI offers a scalable and reliable solution for companies facing tight compliance deadlines.
Under an exclusive agreement, IGUAZU Corporation will serve as Straker’s distributor in Japan, leveraging its 300+ employees and 60+ trained sales experts to drive adoption.
With deep-rooted connections to Japan’s banking, insurance, and financial services sectors, the company is uniquely positioned to introduce SwiftBridge AI to corporate giants in need of reliable bilingual disclosure solutions.
Straker’s CEO and co-founder Grant Straker emphasised the transformative impact of the partnership.
“With Japan’s financial sector under increasing pressure to provide English-language disclosures that meet global investor expectations, SwiftBridge AI offers a timely and innovative solution,” he said.
“By combining our AI expertise with IGUAZU’s market reach, we are set to revolutionise bilingual financial reporting in Japan.”
With IGUAZU’s salesforce mobilised, Straker anticipates swift and widespread adoption of SwiftBridge AI across Japan’s financial services sector, helping businesses navigate the evolving regulatory landscape and engage more effectively with international investors.
Straker’s expertise in AI translation has already revolutionised global corporate communication, with IBM leveraging its technology to enhance multilingual collaboration.
Over 10,000 IBM employees now use Straker’s Slack integration monthly, translating between 40 and 50 million words in real time. By embedding AI-powered translation directly into Slack, IBM has significantly reduced workflow bottlenecks, allowing for seamless multilingual communication without reliance on slow, manual translation services.
IBM’s Doug Mueller, Program Executive for Worldwide Globalisation and Translation, emphasised the significance of Straker’s impact.
“The beauty of using Straker in Slack is that employees don’t need to learn a new system,” he said.
“They can translate and verify content instantly, reducing friction and making translations faster and more accessible.”
IBM and Straker are now looking to deploy AI-powered translation agents in Slack. These agents will refine machine-generated translations, customise language for specific industries, and further improve translation accuracy.
This article was developed in collaboration with Straker, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
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