Top Japan life insurers on guard against rising ultralong yields

Dai-ichi Life exec expects 'some kind of hint' from Finance Ministry, BOJ soon

People pass by the Bank of Japan. Rising yields on ultralong-term bonds have posed challenges for insurers. (Photo by Miki Kamiyama)

SHINICHI ARAKAWA, YOSHINARU SAKABE and TAKAHISA TAMURA

May 14, 2025 23:34 JST

TOKYO -- Dai-ichi Life Insurance and Nippon Life Insurance, two of Japan's biggest institutional investors, are navigating choppy waters churned up by the Trump administration's fast-changing tariff policy and a jump in Japanese bond yields at the ultralong-term end.

Kazuyuki Shigemoto, managing executive officer at Dai-ichi Life, said the company was ready for the market turmoil that followed Trump's "Liberation Day" in April.