Finance chief Kato says talks with market players key for bond issuance

Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato said that discussions with market participants is a key factor in making sure that government bonds are bought and sold stably, as the ministry neared a closely watched gathering with investors.

“We are engaged in thoughtful and careful dialogue with the market, and it is incumbent upon us to make sure that government bonds are being bought,” Kato said in an interview with Bloomberg TV on Friday. As the Bank of Japan steps back from bond purchases, the government needs to find other investors to fill the gap, he said.

Kato’s comments come as the ministry is scheduled to hold a meeting with primary dealers on June 20, three days after the BOJ is broadly expected to slow its pace of bond purchase cuts.