3 October 2007: Broken-up but not broke

In Japan divorce can be an expensive business. First there are the legal fees which, like everything else in Japan, are expensive. Then the spouse that is found to be at fault for the breakdown of the marriage can be required to pay compensation to their former partner of up to 4 million yen (that's about 17,000 pounds).

Now one bank in Japan has launched a product which it says will help. It will lend up to 5 million yen to the divorcing party to cover the legal costs and compensation payments.

The bank says that its "Re" loan ("Re" because the borrower is re-starting their life) is far cheaper than borrowing on credit cards, as divorcees have done in the past.

It has denied that it is encouraging divorce.