(Bloomberg) -- Japan’s biggest lender is planning to raise funds from individual investors to help smaller companies and hospitals tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. intends to issue sustainability bonds totaling as much as 150 billion yen ($1.42 billion) in September, after receiving requests from retail investors, according to Isamu Murofushi, a spokesman.

The pandemic is boosting global sales of notes that aim to help governments, companies and other institutions get through the pandemic.

Proceeds of MUFG’s debt sale will be used to help small-to-mid sized companies and hospitals fight the virus impact, as well as drugmakers developing vaccines and medicines, Murofushi said.

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