MITSUBISHI UFJ Financial Group Inc., Japan¡¯s largest bank, is considering investing in top Shanghai-listed China Merchants Bank, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) said Sunday.

The investment would total US$200 million to US$300 million and be made within the 2006 fiscal year, the Nikkei said. No further details were given, and officials at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group were not available for comment.

China Merchants Bank, China¡¯s sixth-largest commercial bank by total assets, said last month that it planned to raise an estimated US$2 billion through a Hong Kong stock listing and would give long-term investors a first chance at the new shares.

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