Japan Household Assets Hit Record 2,351 T. Yen at End-Dec.

Tokyo, March 18 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s household financial assets rose 5.3 pct from a year earlier to a record 2,351 trillion yen at the end of December 2025, up for the 12th straight quarter, Bank of Japan quarterly data showed Wednesday. The increase tracked firm equity prices following the launch of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration, among other factors. Meanwhile, household liabilities also climbed, rising 2.9 pct to a record 406 trillion yen, driven by an increase in housing loans, according to the central bank’s preliminary funds flow data for October-December 2025. Of the total household financial assets, equities rose 22.6 pct to 342 trillion yen and investment trusts increased 21.3 pct to 165 trillion yen, both record highs. In addition to stock prices remaining at high levels, continuous inflows into financial products via Japan’s Nippon Individual Savings Account tax-exempt small-lot investment program, known as NISA, also contributed to the gains. Cash and deposits edged up 0.5 pct to 1,140 trillion yen. Of the total outstanding Japanese government bonds, the BOJ’s holdings, excluding treasury discount bills, stood at 503 trillion yen as of the end of last year. The share of JGBs held by the central bank came to 49.04 pct, slipping below 50 pct for the first time since June 2022, as its JGB purchases declined following the end of its large-scale monetary easing. Financial assets held by nonfinancial corporations rose 9.6 pct to 1,673 trillion yen, supported by higher stock prices and a sharp increase in foreign direct investment. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]