The number of bank accounts per capita amounts to about 10, and this is quite a large number on the basis of an international comparison (Chart 14). The reason the number of bank accounts is high seems to be largely because account maintenance fee is free in Japan. Banks incur massive costs to maintain such a large number of bank accounts.
Given these developments, a virtuous cycle from income to spending is expected to continue operating steadily in both the corporate and household sectors. With regard to prices, the year-on-year rate of increase in the consumer price index (CPI) for all items less fresh food had slowed toward the end of fiscal 2014, due in part to the effects of low crude oil prices.