BOJ Completes Bank Stock Offloading, Eyes ETF Shift
The Bank of Japan has finalized its divestment of bank shares acquired during the 2000s financial crisis, marking the end of a 17-year stabilization effort. Holdings plummeted from ¥2.5 billion to zero this month, beating next year's projected timeline.
Market participants note the deliberate unwinding avoided disruption despite scale—¥2.4 trillion in purchases between 2002-2010 represented unprecedented central bank intervention. The MOVE now clears the path for potential ETF investments as policymakers recalibrate balance sheet strategies.