Japan household assets hit record at 2023 end

TOKYO -- Financial assets held by Japanese households hit a record 2,141 trillion yen ($14 trillion) at the end of 2023, thanks to higher stock prices, Bank of Japan data showed Thursday.

Of the total, cash and deposits increased 1.0 percent to a record 1,127 trillion yen, bolstered by winter bonuses, data showed.

The government has been encouraging households to put more cash, which still accounts for about half of their total assets, to work by investing in stocks and bonds, among others.

Holdings of stocks climbed 29.2 percent to 276 trillion yen and investment trusts jumped 22.4 percent to 106 trillion yen, both hitting a record high, reflecting higher share prices.

The data also showed the central bank held 581 trillion yen, or 53.78 percent, of the outstanding Japanese government bonds at the end of December, its second-highest share following 53.86 percent recorded at the end of September.

The central bank has been buying government bonds to depress long-term interest rates, despite some relaxing of its control.