Ledger · Sovereign borrowing
Japan’s central government debt fell as financing bills declined
Japan’s Ministry of Finance reported JPY 1,323.36 trillion in central government debt at 30 September 2026. The total fell by JPY 23.32 trillion from June, while the stock of government bonds increased.
Sources checked
Change from June 2026
Shared scale · -255,000 × JPY 100 million to 76,295 × JPY 100 million
Change from previous fiscal year-end
Shared scale · -255,000 × JPY 100 million to 76,295 × JPY 100 million
Negative bars show declines. The full table also includes the September balances and selected subcategories.
The total combines three main categories
The Ministry of Finance reports government bonds, borrowings and financing bills. Their September balances add to JPY 1,323.36 trillion after conversion from the published JPY 100 million unit. The table preserves the original unit and figures. Source 1
Financing bills drove the quarterly decrease
Financing bills fell by JPY 25.50 trillion from June. Borrowings fell by about JPY 0.92 trillion, while government bonds increased by about JPY 3.10 trillion. The ministry reports the total quarterly decrease as JPY 23.32 trillion and cautions that figures can differ slightly because of rounding. Source 2 Source 1
Check the accounting perimeter
The ministry combines the general account with all special accounts. It includes bonds held within the government and internal borrowings, and distinguishes this coverage from the national accounts definition. Government-guaranteed debt is in a separate section of the release. Source 1
Quarter-end and fiscal year-end changes have different baselines
The same September balance can be compared with the previous quarter or the previous fiscal year-end. The visual switches between those two changes without altering the balance. Use the ministry’s series to locate other quarter-end snapshots. Source 1 Source 2 Source 3