Japan to target US$2.3 trillion public-private investment by 2040: Nikkei

[TOKYO] Japan plans to set a target of about US$2.3 trillion in combined public and private investment by 2040 across 17 strategic sectors as part of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s new growth strategy, the Nikkei reported on Friday (Jun 19).

The 370 trillion yen investment initiative, to be unveiled as early as next week, will focus on areas such as AI, chips and space development, as Takaichi seeks to use government spending to spur private-sector investment, the business daily said, without citing a source for the information.

A call by Reuters to the Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday to seek comment went unanswered outside business hours.

The government is considering creating a multi-year budget framework to ensure stable funding for investments deemed critical to economic security, some of which may be financed through bridging bonds.

Bridging bonds are used to cover temporary funding needs and are issued with guarantees on specific means to pay for redemption, allowing the heavily indebted government to argue that it is mindful of fiscal discipline even as it boosts spending. REUTERS