FX.co ★ Japan Bank Lending Growth Eases in July

Japan’s bank lending rose 5.4% year-on-year in July 2026, easing from a five-year high of 5.7% in June. Outstanding loans at major, regional, and shinkin banks averaged JPY 679.2 trillion, slightly higher than JPY 679.0 trillion in the previous month.

Lending by major and regional banks increased 5.9% from a year earlier, down from 6.2% in June. Growth in major-bank lending slowed to 8.0% from 8.6%, while regional-bank lending was unchanged at 4.2%. Within regional banks, lending growth remained steady at 4.6% for regional banks I and 2.4% for regional banks II.

Meanwhile, lending by shinkin banks accelerated to 1.9% from 1.7%, the fastest pace since early 2023.