Taxpayers may have to cough up for the Bank of Japan's irrecoverable collateral-free loans to defunct Yamaichi Securities Co., Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa hinted Thursday.
Speaking at the House of Councilors Committee on Financial Affairs, Shiokawa referred to a remark by then Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa in regard to the possibility of the government covering the loans when Yamaichi was declared bankrupt in 1999.
"We'll follow with responsibility the meaning of Miyazawa's remark," Shiokawa said.