TOKYO, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Japan's 10-year government

bond yield hit a fresh 15-year high on Thursday amid market

speculations that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) may raise interest

rates faster and higher.

The 10-year JGB yield rose 1 basis point (bp)

to 1.44%, its highest level since November 2009.

On Thursday, BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda met Prime Minister

Shigeru Ishiba but the two did not discuss recent rises in

long-term interest rates.

"The fact that two officials did not talk about the recent

rise in JGB yields raised speculations that the government

allows the interest rates to go up higher," said Miki Den,

senior Japan rate strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities.

"That did not become a cue for buying bonds."

Yields on shorter-dated bonds also rose, with the two-year

JGB yield climbing 0.5 bp to 0.82% and the

five-year yield up 0.5 bp to 1.080%.

Yields on longer ended notes fell, as the market saw the

yields had risen to near their peak based on Japan's potential

growth rate.

The 20-year JGB yield slipped 1.5 bps to

2.05%.

The 30-year JGB yield fell 1 basis point to

2.320%.

The 40-year JGB yield fell 2 basis points to

2.615%.