
TOKYO -- The proportion of government bonds held by the Bank of Japan fell for the first time in six years and nine months as the central bank gradually curbs its massive monetary easing program.
At the end of December, the BOJ held 42.99% of all issued Japanese government bonds, according to its own data, or 478 trillion yen ($4.29 trillion) of 1.11 quadrillion yen in outstanding debt, down slightly from 43% at the end of September.