Foreign Investors Buy Record $60 Billion of Japanese Stocks in First Half
Foreign investors purchased a record 9.7 trillion yen ($60 billion) in Japanese equities during the first half of 2026, representing a 300% increase from the same period last year and surpassing the previous half-year record set in 2013. The net inflow roughly doubled the total overseas purchases made throughout all of 2025, marking a rapid acceleration in capital flowing into Japanese markets.
The buying surge coincides with the Nikkei 225 index gaining 37% in the second quarter, its strongest quarterly performance ever. Capital concentrated heavily on AI-linked equities, including semiconductor equipment maker Tokyo Electron, fiber optic supplier Fujikura, and Ajinomoto, which provides insulating materials for chip manufacturing. Market observers drew parallels to the foreign inflows during the Abenomics economic reforms of the mid-2010s, cautioning that the rally's longevity depends on sustained progress in Japan's corporate governance and structural reforms.
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@globalmktobserv⚠️Foreign investors are piling into Japan at a record pace: Overseas investors purchased a net +9.7 trillion yen, or +$60 billion, of Japanese stocks in the first half of 2026, the largest half-year total on record. This is nearly +300% t
@c_barraud🇯🇵🌎 Foreign investors scoop up half-year record $60bn in Japan stocks - Nikkei Asia