Previous literature supports the view that financial inclusion leads to economic growth and helps alleviate poverty; however, it is still unclear whether financial inclusion increases bank profitability. Using a sample of 122 Japanese banks from 2004 to 2018, we investigate this question. We find that financial inclusion is important even in a developed economy; branch contraction reduces the profitability of Japanese banks, although the numbers of loan accounts and automated teller machines (ATMs) do not affect bank profitability. Among bank-specific variables, cost management, credit risk management, and bank size are the key drivers of profitability.

先前的文献支持以下观点：金融普惠可促进经济增长并有助于减轻贫困。然而，目前尚不清楚金融普惠是否会提高银行的盈利能力。我们使用2004年至2018年间122家日本银行的样本，对此问题进行了调查。我们发现，即使在发达经济体中，金融包容性也很重要。尽管贷款帐户和自动柜员机（ATM）的数量不会影响银行的盈利能力，但分支机构收缩会降低日本银行的盈利能力。在特定于银行的变量中，成本管理，信用风险管理和银行规模是盈利能力的主要驱动力。