Japan’s 10-year government bond yield fell to around 2.19% on Thursday, nearing its lowest level in a month, as optimism grew that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s planned fiscal expansion will bolster economic growth without overburdening public finances. Yields had previously climbed on worries about Japan’s fiscal trajectory, but those concerns have eased as markets increasingly judge the risk of severe debt outcomes to be lower.
Takaichi’s landslide victory in last weekend’s general election has given her a strong mandate to pursue higher public spending and tax cuts. She reiterated her pledge to reduce the 8% sales tax on food for two years, a proposal that had earlier fueled concerns over how the resulting shortfall would be financed. This week, however, Takaichi emphasized that the finance ministry will not issue new government bonds to cover the gap. Instead, her administration intends to fund the measures using a mix of subsidies, targeted tax measures, and non-tax revenues, aiming to implement the program in what she describes as a “sustainable” way.
