The plan for privatization did not proceed smoothly. In 2009, in response to the financial crisis, privatization was halted and savings were encouraged to fund stimulus spending. In 2011, after the Great East Japan Earthquake, shares of the postal bank were once again permitted to be sold to help finance rebuilding after the disaster. In 2015, Japan Post Bank had its shares offered for sale in the Tokyo Stock Exchange for the first time, with about 10% of its shares offered.