The number of individuals who filed for personal bankruptcy at the nation's courts in fiscal 1999 totaled 122,741, up about 19,000 from the previous year and marking a new record for the fourth year in a row, the Supreme Court said Thursday.

According to the top court, the annual number of personal bankruptcy cases remained below the 10,000 mark until fiscal 1989, immediately before the burst of the bubble economy.

However, the figure surged to 40,000 in fiscal 1992.