Japan overtook China as the largest non-U.S. holder of Treasuries in June, recording its largest holdings since October 2016.
According to data released Thursday by the U.S. Treasury Department, Japan's holdings rose to one-point-one-two-two trillion U.S. dollars, ten billion dollars more than China's holdings.
This isn't the first time Japan has surpassed China as the largest non-U.S. Treasury holder.... It did so for around six months in early 2017.
Analysts attribute Japan's increased holdings to the fact that Treasuries are still more attractive than the debt market in Europe or Japan.
Other major foreign holders of U.S. Treasuries also increased their holdings on-month in June.