In a nutshell, most advanced economies regard as price stability the situation in which price indices annually rise by about 2 percent on average (Chart 7). Let me ask you a question. What was the average of the year-on-year rates of change in the CPI during the 15-year deflation period (fiscal 1998–2012)? The answer is merely minus 0.3 percent.
As a result, depositors can rest assured that their funds are safe when entrusting them to banks. This means that  21  Although fiction, similar situations are vividly described in books focusing on banks written by Jun Ikeido, such as, Oretachi Baburu Nyūkōgumi, (Tokyo: Bungeishunju Ltd., 2004), Shairokku no Kodomotachi, (Tokyo: Bungeishunju Ltd., 2006), and Rosujene no Gyakushū, (Tokyo: Bungeishunju Ltd., 2012).