Mizuho Securities USA Appoints Eleven Senior Officers to Its Fixed Income Team

NEW YORK, NY–(EMWNews – July 30, 2008) – Mizuho Securities USA, the U.S. broker-dealer

subsidiary of the global Mizuho Financial Group (NYSE: MFG)., today

announced the recent appointments of a managing director and ten new

directors in its Fixed Income Division. The new appointments continue the

expansion of Mizuho Securities USA’s Fixed Income Division initiated by

John Koudounis, Executive Managing Director & Head of Fixed Income, since

he joined Mizuho Securities USA in May.

“Mizuho Securities USA, and our Fixed Income Division, had our most

profitable year ever in FY 2007 and we are committed to a program of

selective growth, including additions of key staff to our Fixed Income

team, that will sustain this momentum,” commented James G.W. Reed, Mizuho

Securities USA President and CEO. “John Koudounis is building on the sales

and trading staff already in place at Mizuho Securities USA by bringing on

board outstanding individuals with proven track records and industry

recognition. By attracting and retaining experienced leadership across our

Fixed Income Division product areas, we will further the growth of Mizuho

Financial Group’s global fixed income activities.”

John Koudounis, Executive Managing Director & Head of Fixed Income, joined

Mizuho Securities USA in May from ABN AMRO Inc. where he spent eleven

years, most recently overseeing the Fixed Income Division. “In the face of

difficult market conditions, our team has been able to continue to post

outstanding results,” said Mr. Koudounis. “We have assembled a world class

team that will continue to focus on providing the highest level of service

to our customers.”

The most recent additions to the Mizuho Securities USA fixed income team

include:

Vincent Murray, Managing Director and Head of Fixed Income Syndicate

Pat Coleman, Director, Fixed Income Sales – San Francisco

Timothy Cox, Director, Debt Capital Markets

Reid Hill, Director, Corporate Finance

Anthony Lorello, Director, Fixed Income Sales – New York

Timothy Murphy, Director, Fixed Income Sales – New York

Mark McAdams, Director, Fixed Income Sales – Chicago

John McShea, Director, Fixed Income Sales – Chicago

Michael Primasing, Director, Fixed Income Sales – San Francisco

Dolph Tokarczyk, Director, Fixed Income Sales – New York

Robert Williams, Director, Credit Trading – New York

About Mizuho

Mizuho Securities USA Inc. is a U.S. registered broker-dealer whose

principal office is in New York City and with other offices in Chicago, San

Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston, Hoboken (New Jersey), London and,

through a subsidiary, Singapore. Its parent company, Mizuho Securities Co.,

Ltd., is a top-tier, full-service, Japanese securities firm and a member of

the Mizuho Financial Group, a Japan-based financial holding company that

provides a full range of financial services through four strategic groups:

Global Corporate Group, Global Retail Group, Global Asset & Wealth

Management Group, and Group Strategy Affiliates. Global Corporate Group

consists of Mizuho Corporate Bank Ltd. and its subsidiary Mizuho Securities

Co., Ltd. (MHSC).