SoftBank, Rakuten tap retail demand for bonds

Rich market: People walk along a popular sightseeing spot in Tokyo. Bond issuers are hoping to tap into Japan’s household assets of up to 2,200 trillion yen to raise funds. — Reuters

TOKYO: Sales of corporate bonds to Japan’s mom-and-pop investors are booming, on track to surpass last year’s record as bigger returns draw buyers looking to protect their savings from inflation.

Well-known names such as railway operator Keio Corp and supermarket giant Aeon Co are among those tapping the retail bond market, with the latter selling its debut retail bond last Friday.