Japan bank lending falls again
TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- Lending by the main categories of Japanese banks fell 4.4 percent in March from a year earlier, the 63rd consecutive month of decline, the Bank of Japan said on Thursday.
Preliminary data showed that total outstanding loans by the main categories of banks, including the big "city" banks, stood at 417.84 trillion yen ($3,479 billion) in March, the central bank said.
Including "shinkin" banks, or credit unions, lending fell by 4.1 percent to 480.51 trillion yen in March.
Lending by overseas banks in Japan fell 20.1 percent from a year earlier to 7.41 trillion yen.
Shares in Japan's big four banks are lower in Thursday afternoon trade, led by a fall of more than 3 percent for Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group. Mizuho Financial Group is down 1.5 percent to 70,800 yen, close to the record low of 68,000 yen it touched last Friday.
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