But Japanese shares yield 2.7% whereas short rates are virtually zero, and the potential is huge when Mrs Watanabe eventually does wade in.

虽然日本的短期利率几乎为零，但股市收益率仍能达到2.7%，而当“渡边太太”涉足股市之际，正是股市潜力无穷之时。

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Mrs Watanabe, meanwhile, gets sold the stuff that no one else wants, and often loses money on it.

ECONOMIST: Not all it should be

The mythical figure of Mrs Watanabe housewives in Japan manage the family money invested in New Zealand dollars and Icelandic kronur.

ECONOMIST: Twenty years on Japan is still paying its bubble-era bills

Mrs Watanabe should bear in mind that such borrowers do not offer high interest payments out of generosity, but because in future they may not be able to redeem their bonds.

ECONOMIST: Japanese bonds