Japanese Government's Financial Health
Like
evaluating the financial position of companies using profit-loss statements and
balance sheets, it is important to apply the same evaluation to the government.
Some Japanese economists have consistently claimed that the financial situation
of the Japanese government is good, citing substantial assets that exceed
liabilities, including government bonds. Interestingly, these economists are in
the minority. The majority, often seen as financial authorities, tend to focus
only on the liability side while neglecting the asset side, thus emphasizing
internally the poor financial condition. This approach raises doubts about
whether such tactics are used to tactfully shape public opinion and justify
increasing the burden on taxes and social security. On the other hand,
externally, it has been publicly announced that the Japanese government's
financial position is good in terms of the balance sheet, driven by the fear of
a sovereign bond rating downgrade.