Toshio Kondo felt his blood run cold as he watched the value of his portfolio disintegrate during the financial market gyrations following the September collapse of Lehman Brothers.
Kondo, whose foreign-exchange investments fell by half to around ¥10 million, is one of a legion of Japanese amateur investors suffering serious losses on the back of the yen's rally against other key currencies.
But despite the horrifying experience, the 64-year-old is eager to stay in the game.