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BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION - Operations by Segment - Pretax Earnings (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Pretax operating earnings |  | $ 1,014 | $ 1,092 | $ 3,114 | $ 3,213
Realized investment gains (losses), non-operating | [1],[2],[3],[4],[5],[6] | 71 | (130) | (57) | (298)
Other non-operating income (loss) | [5] | (10) | 1 | (38) | (1)
Earnings before income taxes |  | 1,075 | 963 | 3,019 | 2,914
Income taxes applicable to pretax operating earnings |  | 338 | 379 | 1,031 | 1,112
Effect of foreign currency translation on after tax operating earnings |  | (29) | 61 | (31) | 110
Gain (loss) on change in fair value of derivative, interest rate component, operating |  | 19 | 20 | 60 | 64
Aflac Japan |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Pretax operating earnings | [2] | 748 | 827 | 2,308 | 2,436
Hedge costs |  | 60 | 54 | 168 | 123
Aflac U.S. |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Pretax operating earnings |  | 316 | 323 | 956 | 946
Other business segments |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Pretax operating earnings |  | 5 | 4 | 9 | 12
Total Business Segments |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Pretax operating earnings |  | 1,069 | 1,154 | 3,273 | 3,394
Interest expense, noninsurance operations |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Pretax operating earnings |  | (30) | (31) | (89) | (90)
Corporate and eliminations |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Pretax operating earnings |  | $ (25) | $ (31) | $ (70) | $ (91)
[1] | Amortized hedge costs related to hedging U.S. dollar-denominated investments held in Aflac Japan were $60 and $54 for the three-month periods and $168 and $123 for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, and 2016, respectively, and have been reclassified from realized investment gains (losses) and reported as a deduction from net investment income when analyzing segment operations to conform to current year reporting.
[2] | Amortized hedge costs related to hedging U.S. dollar-denominated investments held in Aflac Japan were $60 and $54 for the three-month periods and $168 and $123 for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, and 2016, respectively, and have been reclassified from realized investment gains (losses) and reported as a deduction from pretax operating earnings when analyzing segment operations to conform to current year reporting.
[3] | Excluding a gain of $19 and $20 for the three-month periods and $60 and $64 for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, and 2016, respectively, related to the interest rate component of the change in fair value of foreign currency swaps on notes payable which is classified as an operating gain when analyzing segment operations
[4] | Excluding a gain of $19 and $20 for the three-month periods and $60 and $64 for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, and 2016, respectively, related to the interest rate component of the change in fair value of foreign currency swaps on notes payable which is classified as an operating gain when analyzing segment operations
[5] | Prior year foreign currency transaction gains and losses have been reclassified from other non-operating income (loss) to realized investment gains (losses) to conform to current-year reporting classifications. These reclassifications had no impact on total earnings before income taxes.
[6] | Prior year foreign currency transaction gains and losses have been reclassified from other non-operating income (loss) to realized investment gains (losses) to conform to current-year reporting classifications. These reclassifications had no impact on total revenues

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