Divorce loans on the rise in Japan

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's first-ever divorce loan caters to those who fell head over heels in love only to find themselves up to their necks in debt.
Named "Re" for those re-starting their lives, the loan helps divorcees cover the cost of compensation and legal payments and offers a lower interest rate than credit cards loans, on which Japan's growing number of divorce-seekers have depended in the past.
"It's not that we are recommending divorces," said Yoshimi Aoki, spokesman for Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank, based in Gifu, central Japan, which offers the loan.
"But we want people to feel more comfortable in visiting banks to consult on these issues," Aoki added.
While Japan's divorce rate is still low in comparison with the United States and Europe, failed marriages have been on the rise in recent years.