TOKYO -- The Bank of Japan, which took the unusual step of effectively supporting Japanese stock prices by purchasing exchange-traded funds for more than a decade, likely became a net stock seller in 2023 in a first since launching the measure in 2010.
Japan's market performed well in 2023, with the Nikkei Stock Average rising 28% as equities were lifted by money from foreign investors and share buybacks by Japanese companies. Private money drove up prices even as the BOJ's presence as a buyer declined.
