Mizuho Financial Group Inc., which vaulted to the top spot among Japan's merger advisers this year by working with Japan Post Holdings Co. and Itochu Corp., plans to build on that position by hiring bankers in the United States and Asia.

As well as recruiting abroad, the company will consider moving employees from Japan, said Atsushi Yamamoto, who will become head of M&A advisory at Mizuho Securities Co. next Wednesday.

Mizuho will also step up cooperation with HSBC Holdings PLC and Evercore Partners Inc. on cross-border mergers business, he said.