Takahiko Hyuga

The yen-denominated bond sale is an early test of investor appetite for Japanese companies pursuing growth through large overseas acquisitions.

Japan’s regional banks are selling more senior bonds as the Bank of Japan’s latest interest-rate increase intensifies competition for deposits.

Japan’s weak currency caused the most bankruptcies for the first half of a year since 2022, underscoring the growing economic costs of the currency’s slump.

Data suggests smaller firms that employ most of Japan’s workers are finding it increasingly difficult to withstand the currency’s prolonged weakness.

Japanese companies have already sold more corporate bonds with investor protection this year than in all of 2025, as lower-rated borrowers increasingly turn to the bond market instead of relying solely on bank loans for their funding needs.

Rakuten Group Inc. earned its first net income in six years thanks to surging growth in its e-commerce and fintech segments, with help from the company’s chatbot.

SoftBank Group Corp. plans a record ¥1 trillion ($6.3 billion) retail bond sale by any issuer in Japan as the conglomerate raises funds for its investment commitments to OpenAI.

SoftBank Group Corp. priced a ¥1 trillion ($6.3 billion) retail bond with a coupon of 4.75%, as higher rates boost the appeal of bonds, potentially drawing more companies to retail funding.

The offering comes as Japan's benchmark 10-year government bond yield topped 3% for the first time in about 30 years, making bonds an attractive option for households that have traditionally kept much of their financial assets in bank deposits.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. priced ¥200 billion ($1.3 billion) of perpetual debt at spreads tighter than its previous sale as investors gravitated toward subordinated issues.