JP Morgan Chase & Co is launching a new effort to be the international bank for mid-sized companies in Japan, the latest Asia market where the US bank seeks to challenge its international rivals.

For the past year, the bank has been meeting prospective clients and recruiting staff for a new corporate client banking & specialized industries (CCBSI) group, a division within its commercial bank that serves medium-sized international companies and their subsidiaries worldwide.

The formation of the new 4-person team in Japan comes months after the bank expanded its CCBSI team in India, and it is a sign that the largest US bank is using its vast resources to win more corporate clients that have international ambitions. "Global corporates need global capabilities, with local expertise," Andrew Kresse, head of corporate client banking & specialized industries for international banking, said in an email to Reuters.