Dr. Masao Sekine can't stop the bankers from coming. They come with gifts, friendly conversation and advice. But what he really wants is peace of mind.
"Do you know if his bank is safe?" is the question he asks the moment a banker leaves him alone.
Sekine, who heads a clinic in Shirakawa, Fukushima Prefecture, is worried because starting in April, the government-backed Deposit Insurance Corp.'s current full guarantee on time deposits will be capped at 10 million yen plus interest. Starting the following year in April 2003, that same cap will be placed on all deposits. This is the so-called payoff system.