Japan's foreign reserves shrink $1.6 bln in Feb.

Special Report:Global Financial Crisis

TOKYO, March 6 (Chinese media) -- Japan's foreign exchange reserves contracted by

1.604 billion U.S. dollars to 1.00935 trillion dollars in February from a month

earlier, the finance ministry said Friday.

Possessing the world's second largest foreign reserves after China, Japan

holds securities and deposits denominated in foreign currencies, IMF reserve

positions and special drawing rights, and gold.

Statistics show that Japan had 892.34 billion dollars in foreign securities

and 23.42 billion dollars in gold at the end of February, up from 890.77 billion

dollars and 22.62 billion dollars a month earlier, respectively.

The world second largest economy also held 87.81 billion dollars in foreign

currency deposits and 2.53 billion dollars in IMF reserve positions, down from

91.68 billion dollars and 2.58 billion dollars respectively.