Japan has signaled it could leverage its position as the largest foreign holder of US government debt in ongoing trade negotiations with Washington, a rare acknowledgment that has caught market analysts’ attention.
In unusually direct comments for a Japanese official, Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato told a TV Tokyo program on Friday that Japan’s massive Treasury holdings “does exist as a card” in trade discussions with the United States.
Japan held approximately $1.13 trillion in US Treasury securities at the end of February, making it the largest overseas holder of American debt, followed by China with $784 billion, according to US Treasury data.
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While the remarks don’t suggest Japan is planning to reduce its Treasury holdings, they come amid heightened trade tensions as chief negotiator Ryosei Akazawa conducts a second round of talks in Washington this week.
Market strategists view the comments as potentially significant. “This is a very serious tactic to discuss publicly,” said Kathy Jones of Charles Schwab. “Just the threat of it could have implications for the Treasury market.”
The timing is notable as it follows President Trump’s imposition of a 90-day hold on reciprocal tariffs in April, which triggered substantial market movements in US government bonds.
Kato’s statement is also a shift from previous Japanese policy positions. In April, ruling party policy chief Itsunori Onodera had emphasized that “as an ally, we would not intentionally take action against US government bonds.”
Japan uses its Treasury holdings as part of a special account that funds currency interventions, making any potential policy change particularly sensitive for global markets.
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