Yamaguchi Financial Group, a regional lender headquartered in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, is considering paying new hires with securities market expertise around the same compensation as staff at the nation’s largest banks.

Competition among financial institutions to hire bond traders and other specialists is intensifying as the Bank of Japan nudges interest rates higher, which is increasing trading volatility and opportunities for market professionals.

Salaries offered for bond and foreign exchange trader and sales jobs at the biggest Japanese banks top out around ¥13 million ($80,500) on recruitment websites including Doda and Kotora.