Rakuten Inc. President Hiroshi Mikitani has been appointed as the sixth member of a private advisory panel of Financial Services Minister Tatsuya Ito.
The panel is deliberating guidelines for Japan's financial policies after the government lifts its blanket deposit guarantee at the end of March.
"I expect broad-based opinions based on (Mikitani's) work experience with a financial institution, business management and knowledge of information technology," Ito told reporters Thursday.
Mikitani worked for the now-defunct Industrial Bank of Japan before establishing Rakuten, which has grown into the biggest online shopping mall in Japan.
Mikitani's strong interest in financial affairs has prompted Rakuten to move into the securities business.