Athens comes up with yen to pay off series of Japanese 'samurai' bonds

Greece on Tuesday paid off a series of "samurai bonds" to Japanese investors in a symbolic gesture to win back investor confidence, despite missing its second IMF payment in two weeks.

Bank giant Mizuho said Athens transferred 20 billion yen ($162 million) to cover the yen-denominated debt a day after Greece agreed on a deal with its creditors to tap badly needed bailout cash.

The bonds, issued to private investors by the Greek government two decades ago, matured on Tuesday.