WASHINGTON - China, the top buyer of US Treasury securities, cut its holding for the second consecutive month in January, the latest data from the Treasury Department showed Tuesday.

China reduced its holding of the treasuries by $8.2 billion to $1.2379 trillion in January, following a cut of $18.4 billion in the previous month.

Japan, the second largest foreign holder of US treasuries, increased its holding by $0.9 billion to $1.1235 trillion in January.

In January, overall foreign holdings of US Treasury securities rose to $6.1831 trillion from $6.1481 trillion in December.