Japan

On the Japan pages, the first question is not just how large the debt is, but which public-sector boundary the number represents.

Central Government Debt

The monthly Ministry of Finance series covering JGBs, financing bills, and borrowings of the national government. This is the headline series used on the Japan clock.

General Government Debt

The broader concept often used in international tables. It includes a wider government perimeter, such as social security funds, so it should not be treated as the same number as central government debt.

Interpolated Estimate

An estimate that connects official release points with an annual growth rate between publication dates.