Good evening, and hello, everyone. My name is Komiya. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to join us today. I would also like to thank all of you for your continued support towards Tokio Marine. First of all, I would like to start by explaining fiscal 2023 financial results, as well as the new medium-term management plan we have started from fiscal 2024, and its KPI targets, as well as messages from the management based on these results and our plans. Please turn to page three of the presentation material. There are mainly three points I would like to convey to you today. The first is current financial performance, which is actual results for 2023 and projections for 2024.
Adjusted net income on actual basis for fiscal 2023 is JPY 711.6 billion, which is JPY 21.6 billion higher than the full year projection of JPY 690 billion announced in February of this year. This was mainly due to smaller than expected winter storm losses in the fourth quarter and increased capital gain from sales of business-related equities. Excluding such one-off effects, normalized basis adjusted net income was JPY 685.5 billion, which is in line with the JPY 684 billion of February projections. On year-on-year basis, we have achieved 11% growth, so I believe it is fair to say the company's business remains strong and its underlying capabilities are steadily improving.
As for our fiscal 2024 projections, we expect to post an adjusted net income of JPY 1 trillion, which is an increase by 46% over the previous year, since we will add gains from accelerated sales of business-related equities to achieve zero stock holding on top of enhanced profit based on improved underlying capabilities. Regarding business-related equities, we have consistently stated for some time that we would continue to sell them. In this context, we have now set the timeframe for completion of sales to be in 6 years. We have also decided to halve the amount of stock holding within the next 3 years as a milestone. Regardless of the plan, however, we would like to accelerate the pace of equity sales as much as possible. This is our intention.
The second point is the KPI targets of the new Medium-Term Management Plan, which we have started from fiscal 2024. We have always said that we would achieve world-class EPS growth and raise ROE to the level of global peers while reducing volatility. The new Medium-Term Management Plan is still with the same tone, so our journey continues. Specifically, we will deliver EPS growth of 8% or more on CAGR basis, and 16% or more, including capital gains from the sales of business-related equities. ROE will be 14% or higher, or by including capital gains from the sales of business-related equities, it will be 20% or higher. These drivers are nothing other than the improvements of each of our businesses' underlying capability, and I will be explaining more on this point again at the management strategy meeting to be held this Friday.
The third point is about shareholder return. We have not changed our policy that profit growth of our business and expansion of shareholder return should be consistent with each other. In this context, regarding dividend payment, as I mentioned earlier, our business continues to be strong and profits are increasing. We have decided to increase DPS for fiscal 2023 by 2 JPY from the initial plan of JPY 121 to JPY 123. DPS for fiscal 2024 is projected at JPY 159, in line with the profit growth I have explained. This will be DPS growth of 29%, and of course, we believe that would make us one of the world's top class companies. In terms of capital stock, we will continue to implement disciplined capital policy.
Our latest ESR is 140%, which is a substantial level, and we are currently planning to do a share buyback at this point in time by JPY 200 billion in fiscal 2024. Needless to say, we will continue to flexibly execute share buyback throughout the year, but today's resolution allows for the execution of initial JPY 100 billion as the first step. Regarding capital policy, our CFO, Mr. Okada, will explain about it later. I will now explain more on our business performance and business trends in more details, as well as KPIs of the new medium-term management plan. Please turn to page 4. First, on the top line. As for the results for fiscal 2023, net premiums written increased by 8% year-on-year, while life insurance premiums decreased by 2%.
... Although there was an increase in surrender and lapse of corporate-owned life insurance at TMNF and Tokyo Marine Nichido Life Insurance Company, the overall trend remained favorable, mainly in the international business. In this environment, we project a steady increase of net premiums written of 9% year-on-year, driven by rate hikes and underwriting expansion. Life insurance premiums are expected to decrease by 17% year-on-year, which seems like a major decline, but this is actually due to the impact of the existing big block ceded by TMNF Life in April of this year. This is exactly what we mean by ceding a portion of the legacy portfolio in the form of reinsurance. At the same time, we will also reverse the matching underwriting reserves, so the impact on profit will be nominal. Next, I would like to explain the adjusted net income.
Please turn to pages 5 and 6. As explained earlier, the adjusted net income results for fiscal 2023 on actual basis is JPY 711.6 billion, an increase by JPY 21.6 billion from the February projection. Compared to the previous year, profit increase was 60%. However, these figures include such noises as natural disasters, increase in sales of business-related equities, and rebounds from COVID, et cetera. We believe that the normalized profit, which excludes these factors, is important to capture the underlying strength of the business. Normalized profit for fiscal 2023 was JPY 685.5 billion, an increase of 11% over the previous year, and is a top-class growth rate in the world. In fiscal 2023, we have recognized some capital losses, such as increase in provisions for CECL in North America.
However, we believe that both underlying underwriting and investment performance of the group as a whole are both strong, and we are steadily improving our capabilities. I will now explain about fiscal 2024 projections. Please turn to page 7. FY 2024 projection for adjusted net income is JPY 1 trillion, and this includes gains from accelerated sales of business-related equities. More specifically, the amount of sales of business-related equities in FY 2024 is planned at JPY 600 billion and gains from sales up JPY 300 billion year-over-year. Profits, excluding gains from sales of business-related equities for FY 2024, took into account, A, large hail loss in Hyogo Prefecture in April, and the need to increase nat cat budget for Japan and abroad from the beginning of the term.
As well as, B, past-year reserve, which involves large gains from takedown of reserve of +JPY 29 billion in the first half, which will not be factored in, in the beginning of FY 2024, and therefore we expected a conservative +2% growth year-over-year. Next, turning to new MTP KPI targets, please turn to page 8. Target figures have been explained already. Key point for us is to realize top class, world top-class EPS growth, excluding gains from sales of business-related equities. Our EPS growth target is +8% or more in CAGR. It can be broken down into +7% or more in adjusted net income and +1% to +2% in share buyback. In other words, the growth driver will continue to be world top-class profit growth, and this figure is based on organic growth.
With a well-diversified underwriting portfolio and strong investment income by leveraging our liability characteristics, we will achieve strong growth in Japan and internationally, while keeping volatility low. ROE target. Including gains from sales of business-related equities, which is the same definition as before, ROE target will be 20% or higher. Now, excluding gains, only gains from sales of business-related equities from the numerator, while denominator includes gains from sales, therefore, numerator and denominator is not necessarily apple to apple. In this case, target is 14% or higher. On the back of high share prices and weak yen, net asset is increasing. We will consistently drive ROE to the level of global peers through profitable growth and disciplined capital policy execution.
Before I close my comments, let me extend my sincere apologies for the concern and inconvenience caused to you in the capital market by the issues that occurred at TM&F last year. My apologies to you all. I'm also aware that there have been reports in the press about the group's policies. This is one of the series of issues that are included in the business improvement plan we submitted to the authorities at the end of February, and we are already working on various measures to address the issues. ... How do we prevent recurrence, and how do we rebuild the company? These topics will be fully covered at the business strategy meeting scheduled this Friday. Looking back on the previous midterm plan period that ended this past March, there were a number of challenges around the world. However, we never let a crisis go to waste.
With this in mind, we have been able to overcome each crisis by mobilizing the group's strengths and steadily improved our capabilities. The current business environment is not easy either, but the company, over the years, has nurtured a strong business foundation and the ability to respond to challenges, which should allow the company to continue to achieve world top-class EPS growth while increasing ROE for the next three years and beyond. I will lead the business with that strong mindset. Your continued support is very much appreciated. Komiya-san, thank you very much for that. Now, I would like to pass the microphone over to Mr. Okada to take you through the capital policy. This is Okada speaking. Let me cover our shareholder return policy before we close. Please turn to pages 9 and 10.
Once again, our shareholder return policy is to make dividend payments and to increase DPS sustainably in line with profit growth. DPS for fiscal year 2023 will be 123 JPY, up 2 JPY from original projections and up 23% year-over-year in DPS growth. Adjusted net income for FY 2023 was affected by nat cat and capital loss in North America, but strong fundamentals in the international business made up for the loss. There were upsides to the original projections and the November forecast, which are basis for DPS. The new MTP started from this past April. In FY 2024, the first year of the new MTP, we will maintain the payout ratio of 50% based on 5-year average adjusted net income. Adjusted net income for FY 2024 is planned at JPY 1 trillion.
Based on that planned figure, DPS for FY 2024 is projected at 159 JPY, up 36 JPY in dividend payout, or up 29% year-over-year in DPS growth. Going forward, the company will introduce IFRS at the end of FY 2025. ICS will also be introduced. Definition of income and various other indicators needs to be revised from FY 2026. At this point in time, we have not yet decided on the contents of the revised policy, and we will explain the various indicators and definitions, as well as our shareholder return policy based on them in the fall of 2025, six months before the introduction of IFRS, after internal deliberations and careful dialogue and discussions with the capital market.
After the introduction of IFRS, the company intends to continue to take a comprehensive approach to set the dividend payout ratio level that will enable us to realize top class, world top-class EPS growth and DPS growth in line with that. Next, turning to capital stock adjustments. Our capital policy remains intact. In other words, capital generated through organic growth and/or portfolio change is first to be used for M&A and additional risk-taking that contributes to ROE growth of the company. In case there are no such opportunities, we will do share buyback, since the company has no intention to build unnecessary capital. Our current ESR is at 140%, which is considered sufficient, taking into account M&A pipeline and business environment comprehensively. Our current share buyback plan for FY 2024 is, at this point in time, set at JPY 200 billion.
As a first step, JPY 100 billion share buyback has been approved today. EPS target in the new MTP includes 1%-2% in share buyback. The share buyback amount scheduled for this fiscal year is in line with that policy. We took note of the fact that 2% share buyback vis-à-vis market cap is common among global peers. The company intends to execute the business strategy in the new medium-term plan and to increase EPS and ROE while controlling volatility, thereby responding to expectations from the capital markets. Your continued support and understanding is greatly appreciated. That is all from me.