The amount of assets held by households rose 2.7 percent from a year earlier to a record ¥1.654 quadrillion at the end of September, surpassing the previous record of ¥1.645 quadrillion set at the end of June, according to data Thursday from the Bank of Japan.
The preliminary result reflects higher stock prices and the rising value of investment trusts, the BOJ said.
By type, cash and deposits grew 1.7 percent to ¥870 trillion, account for the bulk of assets. Shares and other equities rose 5.6 percent to ¥156 trillion, while investment trusts surged 14.9 percent at ¥86 trillion.
The quarterly data also showed that the outstanding balance of Japanese government bonds remained above ¥1 quadrillion in September after topping the threshold for the first time in June. The BOJ, of course, remained the biggest holder of sovereign debt, thanks to its radical quantitative and qualitative easing campaign.
The total amount of outstanding bonds came to ¥1.015 quadrillion at the end of September, up 3.6 percent from a year earlier, with the BOJ holding 22.9 percent, or ¥233 trillion worth, up 37.0 percent, as the central bank's massive asset purchases from financial institutions continued as part of the aggressive easing campaign to boost the economy and end deflation.
Among other JGB holders, domestic banks shared 12.5 percent, or ¥127 trillion, down 7.0 percent.