The outstanding balance of the central government's debts — government bonds, borrowings and financing bills — totaled ¥871.51 trillion at the end of 2009, an all-time high and up ¥6.99 trillion from the end of September, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.

The total translates into roughly ¥6.83 million per capita.

The increase in the balance was largely attributable to an additional government bond issue of ¥10.8 trillion in the first supplementary budget for fiscal 2009, which was approved by the Diet last May.

The balance will come close to ¥900 trillion at the end of fiscal 2009 to March 31 as new government bond issues grow to ¥53 trillion under the second supplementary budget, which sailed through the Diet last month.

Of the balance at the end of December, general government bonds, including construction and deficit-covering bonds, amounted to ¥577.28 trillion, an increase of ¥14.02 trillion from six months earlier.

Borrowings came to ¥56.47 trillion, up ¥271 billion, and financing bills stood at ¥109.73 trillion, down ¥4.29 trillion.