The government's liabilities exceeded its assets by as much as 831.71 trillion yen on an unconsolidated basis at the end of fiscal 2000, 23.57 trillion yen more than in the previous year, according to the national balance sheet released Friday by the Finance Ministry.
Although assets grew to 733.6 trillion yen in 2000, up 31.66 trillion yen from a year before, the increase in liabilities exceeded the growth of assets. Fiscal 2000 ended March 2001.
Assets include such items as loans, securities and fixed assets, while liabilities cover such factors as postal savings and government bonds held by the private sector.