NEW YORK (Kyodo) The Finance Ministry is pitching Japanese government bonds to U.S. investors in an effort to diversify the country's bondholder base, partly due to concerns about Japan's rapidly aging society.

The ministry recently held a seminar at the Japan Society in New York, drawing about 90 potential investors.

As of December, foreigners held only 4.7 percent of outstanding Japanese government bonds, compared with a 45 percent share of U.S. government bonds and 21 percent share of British bonds.