Japan households' investments drive 80% of asset growth

Shift from savings accelerates, underpinned by stock rally

Household assets in Japan, including foreign securities, reached a record 2.12 quadrillion yen at the end of September. (Photo by Akira Takemura)

TOSHIHIRO SATO and AKIRA INUJIMA, Nikkei staff writers

December 26, 2023 05:55 JST

TOKYO -- Japanese households are putting a growing share of their assets into investments like equities and bonds as rising domestic and U.S. stock markets and a weak yen encourage a shift away from a long-standing preference for cash.

Investment assets -- stocks, investment trusts, bonds and foreign securities -- accounted for 82% of the overall 100 trillion yen ($700 billion) increase in households' financial assets in the year through September, based on Bank of Japan data.