Japan bond yields rise on 2024 restart in catch-up with US peers

TOKYO, Jan 4 (Reuters) – Japanese government bond (JGB) yields ticked higher on Thursday, catching up with a rise in U.S. Treasury yields as markets in the Asian nation reopened from an extended New Year holiday. At the same time, expectations that a devastating earthquake on Japan’s west coast would prevent an early end to the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) stimulus prevented JGB yields from rising too much. The 10-year JGB yield was flat at 0.615% as of 0530 GMT, after starting the day by rising 1 basis point (bp). The 30-year JGB yield rose 2 bps to a three-week high of 1.655%, while the 20-year yield added 1 bp to 1.390%, a more than two-week peak. Although benchmark U.S.…