TOKYO (MNI) – Outstanding bank loans in Japan rose 1.2% from a year
earlier to Y397.7 trillion in September, marking a 12th straight rise,
Bank of Japan data released Thursday showed.

The pace of increase accelerated from a 1.1% rise in August and
remained the highest rise since October 2009, when lending was up 1.5%.

In September, outstanding loans by city banks, the largest group of
lenders in Japan, fell 0.3% from a year earlier, the 35th consecutive
month of y/y decline after -0.4% in the previous month.

Lending by regional banks rose 2.8% last month versus +2.6% in
August.

The balance of commercial paper issuance stood at Y9.06 trillion at
the end of September, up 6.9% y/y following a 2.9% fall in the previous
month.

tokyo@mni-news.com
** MNI Tokyo Newsroom: 81-3-6860-4821 **

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