Key Facts
• Bank of Japan (BOJ) began purchasing financial institution stocks in 2002.
• The measure aimed to stabilize the financial system after the bubble economy collapse.
• BOJ acquired stocks from 2002 to 2010, with holdings exceeding 2 trillion yen at peak.
• Stock sales started in 2007 but paused during the 2008 financial crisis.
• Sales resumed in 2016 and were completed by June 30, 2025.
• As of June 30, remaining stock holdings were reduced to zero from 2.5 billion yen.
• Future focus shifts to handling BOJ’s large ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund) holdings.
Summary
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has completed the sale of stocks it purchased from financial institutions between 2002 and 2010 to stabilize the financial system following the bubble economy collapse. At its peak, BOJ’s stock holdings exceeded 2 trillion yen. Sales began in 2007 but were interrupted by the 2008 financial crisis, resuming in 2016. By June 30, 2025, the remaining stock holdings, valued at 2.5 billion yen, were fully sold. Moving forward, attention will turn to the management of BOJ’s significant ETF holdings.
