In the wake of the global financial crisis, the government introduced a provisional law aimed at rescuing indebted small businesses in December 2009.
The legislation, the brainchild of then-financial services minister Shizuka Kamei, obliges lenders to "make efforts" to ease loan-repayment terms for borrowers.
Although Kamei eventually left the coalition government over policy differences, the law has remained, apparently helping some companies survive difficult times.