TOKYO, July 16 (Reuters) - Japanese government bond prices were steady to slightly firmer on Thursday, as coronavirus cases continued to grow at home and put pressure on risk assets.

Benchmark 10-year JGB futures added 0.22 point to 152.37, with a trading volume of 15,243 lots, while the 10-year JGB yield fell 1 basis point to 0.010%.

In the super-long zone, the 20-year JGB yield fell 1 basis point to 0.420%, while the 30-year JGB yield inched down half a basis point to 0.600%.

The 40-year JGB yield stood unchanged at 0.645%.

At the shorter end of the curve, the two-year JGB yield inched down half a basis point to minus 0.150%, while the five-year yield dropped 1.5 basis points to minus 0.125%.

Japanese stocks slipped after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said COVID-19 cases were likely to exceed 280 on Thursday, a day after the metropolis raised its coronavirus alert to the highest level. (Reporting by Tokyo Markets Team; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) ((eimi.yamamitsu@thomsonreuters.com;)) Keywords: JAPAN BONDS/

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