[HIGHLIGHTS] Interest payment costs on government bonds estimated for FY2020 1.6 times higher than the new fiscal year Ministry of Finance

Interest payment costs on government bonds estimated for FY2020 1.6 times higher than the new fiscal year. Ministry of Finance estimates that if long-term interest rates rise, the cost of paying interest on national bonds in the budget for FY 2020, four years from now, will increase.

The difficult financial situation is expected to continue, according to the ministry. The budget size until FY2020 is estimated at 123.1 trillion yen, 10.5 trillion yen more than the budget proposal for the new Fiscal Year, FY2020.