Rule change to ease Japan life insurers' government bond purchases

Bonds Rule change to ease Japan life insurers' government bond purchases Removal of impairment requirement seen supporting demand as debt prices fall Falling bond prices have led to heavy unrealized losses for Japanese insurers. (Photo by Akira Kodaka) KENSHO MOTOWAKI November 12, 2026 02:55 JST TOKYO -- Japanese life insurers will no longer need to mark down the value of government bond holdings to reflect falling prices under revised accounting rules set to take effect in fiscal 2030. Read Next Bonds Will Japanese insurers bring money home? 5 things to know Insurance Japan life insurers eye purchases of higher-yielding JGBs Insurance Japan's life insurers' unrealized bond losses near $200bn as rates soar Markets Investors turn to JGBs as a safe haven as stock risks rise Bonds French unrest, AI debt risks push investors toward ultralong JGBs Finance Japan's corporate pensions return to domestic bonds as long-term rates rise Latest on Bonds Bonds Will Japanese insurers bring money home? 5 things to know Bonds Yen bond offerings hit record $16bn as AI funding race reaches Japan Bonds Kazakh borrowers issue billions of yuan debt as China ties tighten Sponsored Content About Sponsored Content This content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.