The Bank of Japan is the centra, bank of Japan. The bank is often called Nichigin (日銀) for short and it is headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, on the site of a former gold mint (the Kinza) near the famous Ginza district. In 2020, it became the largest owner of Japanese stocks, ahead of GPIF, which generated some controversy as it could lead to serious adverse effects and risks. It is the Central Bank with the greatest number of offices overseas: New York, Washington DC, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, and Beijing.