Chart 4
As Japanese Banks Have Experienced Earnings
Difficulties, U.S. Banks Have Remained Highly Profitable

Return on Assets
Date	FDIC-Insured Depository Institutions	All Japanese Banks
1989	0.2%	0.2%
1990	0.2%	0.2%
1991	0.4%	0.2%
1992	0.9%	0.1%
1993	1.1%	0.1%
1994	1.0%	0.0%
1995	1.1%	-0.5%
1996	1.1%	0.0%
1997	1.1%	-0.5%
1998	1.1%	-0.6%
1999	1.2%	0.1%
2000	1.1%	0.0%
2001	1.1%	-0.7%

* Return on asset figures for Japanese banks are as of the end of the fiscal year, which ends in March.

Source: FDIC Research Information System and Bank of Japan