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BOJ's gov't bond holdings down in 2021 for 1st time in 13 years
The Bank of Japan said Wednesday its holdings of Japanese government bonds as of the end of 2021 fell for the first time in 13 years as the central bank reduced the pace of its massive asset purchases. The BOJ's holdings totaled 521.12 trillion yen ($4.5 trillion) as of Dec. 30, down 14.39 trillion yen from a year earlier and prompting some private-sector economists to call the development "de facto tapering." To achieve its 2 percent inflation target, the BOJ has maintained its credit easing policy through aggressive purchases of Japanese government bonds, exchange-traded funds, commercial paper and corporate ... (full story)