(financial) Doom, I'll tell ya... dooom!

Following the problems in the sub-prime lending market in America and the run on HBOS in the UK, uncertainty has now hit Japan.

In the last 7 hours Origami Bank has folded, Sumo Bank has gone belly up
and Bonsai Bank announced plans to cut some of its branches. Yesterday, it
was announced that Karaoke Bank is up for sale and will likely go for a
song, while today shares in Kamikaze Bank were suspended after they
nose-dived.

Samurai Bank is soldiering on following sharp cutbacks, Ninja Bank is
reported to have taken a hit, but they remain in the black. Furthermore,
500 staff at Karate Bank got the chop and analysts report that there is
something fishy going on at Sushi Bank where it is feared that staff may
get a raw deal.

Tsunami Bank has been hit by a wave of bad debts, and it is understood
That the numbers at Sudoku Bank just don't add up. Satsuma Bank is apparently
going to be restructured by being broken up into smaller segments, and
rumour has it that Koi Bank has been netted by a major foreign competitor.
Meanwhile shares in Judo Bank have been thrown into turmoil and are likely
to hit the floor soon following an announcement from Hara-Kiri Bank that
it was going into voluntary liquidation. Management at Rickshaw Bank have
asked all the staff to pull together to get through this difficult time.

Plans for recapitalisation at Kimono Bank remain under wraps. Further news as we get it.