Frank Russell Company and The Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance Co., Ltd., developed an asset/liability management model using multistage stochastic programming. It determines an optimal investment strategy that incorporates a multiperiod approach and enables the decision makers to define risks in tangible operational terms. It also handles the complex regulations imposed by Japanese insurance laws and practices. The most important goal is to produce a high-income return to pay annual interest on savings-type insurance policies without sacrificing the goal of maximizing the long-term wealth of the firm. During the first two years of use, fiscal 1991 and 1992, the investment strategy devised by the model yielded extra income of 42 basis points (¥8.7 billion or US$79 million).

This paper discusses technical aspects of the Russell-Yasuda Kasai financial planning model. These include the models for the discrete distribution scenario generation processes for the uncertain parameters of the model, the mathematical approach used to develop the infinite-horizon end-effects part of the model, a comparison of algorithms used in the model's solution, and a comparison of the multistage stochastic linear programming model with the previous technology, static mean-variance analysis. Experience and benefits of the model in Yasuda-Kasai's financial planning process is also discussed.

This paper describes the formulation of the Russell-Yasuda Kasai financial planning model, including the motivation for the model. The presentation complements the discussion of the technical details of the financial modeling process and the managerial impact of its use to help allocate the firm's assets over time discussed in Cariño et al. (1994, 1998, respectively). The multistage stochastic linear program incorporates Yasuda Kasai's asset and liability mix over a five-year horizon followed by an infinite horizon steady-state end-effects period. The objective is to maximize expected long-run profits less expected penalty costs from constraint violations over the infinite horizon. Scenarios are used to represent the uncertain parameter distributions. The constraints represent the institutional, cash flow, legal, tax, and other limitations on the asset and liability mix over time.