Japan's foreign-exchange reserves at the end of April hit a new record high for the fifth straight month, rising by $3.26 billion from a month earlier to $499.44 billion, the Finance Ministry said Thursday.

The rise was due mainly to the strengthening of the euro against the dollar, which pushed up the value of Japan's euro-denominated assets in dollar terms, and an increase in interest income from various investments, a ministry official said.

The previous all-time high for the foreign-exchange reserves was $496.18 billion, reached in March.