Reading the data: what period do figures released on October 30 actually cover?Figures released on the same day can be about very different times
Statistics come with a gap between the day they are released and the period they describe. Lining up what was released on October 30, 2026 (Reiwa 8): the Bank of Japan's uncollateralized call rate was the preliminary figure for that same day, the Payment and Settlement Statistics covered September 2026, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's employment referral statistics covered September 2026, and the National Medical Expenditure figures covered fiscal 2024. Here is how to avoid mixing them up.
Key points
- For the Bank of Japan's uncollateralized call rate, the preliminary figure was for October 30, 2026 and the final figure for October 29, so the two sit one business day apart. The regular data update is stated to be around 5:15 pm
- The Bank of Japan's Payment and Settlement Statistics for September 2026 were released on October 30, about a month after the month covered
- The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's employment referral statistics for September 2026 were released on the same October 30
- The National Medical Expenditure figures released on that same October 30 covered fiscal 2024, more than a year and a half after the period they describe
- Where a statistic has both preliminary and final figures, the numbers can be revised later. Noting both the release date and the period covered when you quote a figure makes it possible to reconcile it afterwards
What to do in practice
- When you quote a statistic, note both the period covered and the release date
- Review any material based on preliminary figures once the final figures come out
The government and the Bank of Japan release all sorts of figures every day and every month. But the day a figure is released is not the same as the period it describes. Looking at what came out on October 30, there was the interest on money lent and borrowed that very day, the settlement and job figures for September, and even medical spending for fiscal 2024. When you look at a figure, check first what period it is about.
- Same dayInterest on money lent and borrowed (preliminary)
- About a month laterSeptember settlement and job figures
- More than a year and a half laterMedical spending for fiscal 2024
Points
- The day a figure is released and the period it describes are different
- The October 30 releases included figures for that day, for September, and for fiscal 2024
- The longer a figure takes to collect, the later it comes out
What the words mean
- preliminary figure
- A figure published first so that the news is out quickly. It can be revised later
- final figure
- A figure published later, after it has been checked properly
- Bank of Japan and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Bank of Japan, Uncollateralized overnight call rate (every business day)
- Bank of Japan and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Bank of Japan, Payment and Settlement Statistics
- Bank of Japan and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Press releases (October 2026)
Economic news presents published statistics and outlooks. It is not investment solicitation or trading advice. Figures are as of publication and may be revised.
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.