HBSC Bermuda is safe from the chopping block as the global bank scales back operations in Latin America and Asia in order to lower expenses and prepare for tighter capital rules.This week HSBC, Europe’s largest bank, agreed to sell operations in Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras to Colombia’s Banco Davivienda SA for $801 million and a Thailand subsidiary, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, agreed to sell its retail banking and wealth management business to Bank of Ayudhya Public Company Limited for approximately $553 million.According to HSBC Bermuda’s incoming CEO, the Island’s branch, which employs more than 800 people, is not at risk."HSBC was clear at its Strategy Day last May that Bermuda was specifically recognised as attractive to HSBC given its strong position in a smaller economy, said Deputy CEO Richard Moseley, who will become CEO in May 2012. “We are committed to developing a profitable business here in Bermuda as part of the HSBC Group, leveraging the strengths of our ownership by a very strong Group and the strong local franchise built over 120 years. We believe that this is a great combination in an international community like Bermuda."In Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras, HSBC had 136 branches serving corporate and consumer banking clients and held $4.3 billion of assets.Last month, HSBC agreed to sell its Japanese private banking business to Credit Suisse Group AG. According to an article from Bloomberg News, the sale of the unit, which managed assets of $2.7 billion as of October 31, is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2012.It has also been reported that the global bank is seeking buyers for its Japanese consumer banking unit four years after starting the business. According to Bloomberg, people close to the matter said the company may sell HSBC Premier, the division that targets wealthy individuals in Japan. According to the sources, the plan isn’t public yet.