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Data Revisions to the Flow of Funds Accounts

September 26, 2016
Bank of Japan
Research and Statistics Department

The Bank of Japan retroactively revises data for the Flow of Funds Accounts (FFA) once every year, reflecting updated information on source data, the financial system, and institutional changes. Following September 2016 revisions, data revised from the first quarter of 2005 and onward are now available at "BOJ Time-Series Data Search."

Highlights of the revisions are as follows:

i) Incorporating revisions of the Balance of Payments Related Statistics based on BPM6

Significant changes to the FFA's estimation methods are made to incorporate the Balance of Payments Related Statistics, which include more disaggregated sectors and transaction items, based on the new statistical standard (BPM6, the sixth edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual). As a result of these revisions, the amount outstanding of external assets, such as outward investment in securities held by the households sector, is revised upward, while that held by the private nonfinancial corporations sector is revised downward.

ii) Revision of currency holdings by sector

Changes are made to the estimation method for the amount outstanding of currency held by the households sector and by the private nonfinancial corporations sector, using detailed information including anecdotal evidence regarding the private nonfinancial corporations sector such as the ratio of cash holdings to sales proceeds by industry. As a result of this revision, the amount outstanding of currency held by the households sector is revised upward, while that held by the private nonfinancial corporations sector is revised downward.

Inquiries

Financial Statistics Group, Economic Statistics Division, Research and Statistics Department

E-mail : post.rsd5@boj.or.jp