TOKYO -- Japanese companies appear likely to issue 10.9 trillion yen ($96 billion) in bonds this year, up 4% from last year and the most since 2009, as they rush to take advantage of low interest rates while they last.
Plant engineering company JGC in October floated bonds for the first time in 22 years, raising 50 billion yen. Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings resumed issuance in March after a hiatus following the March 2011 meltdowns at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Konica Minolta, construction company Toda and others plan a December issuance.
