This could be really bad news for a lot of people.
You'll borrow some cheap Japanese money, but it will be tied to the currency exchange. Good now with a strong dollar, but if the dollar drops - say,
with the inevitable slowdown in China emasculating our current account - our dollar will drop measurably.
And your debt - in Yen - will increase immeasurably.
Check the paperwork - is the loan in Yen or Au$.
Japan isn't immune from the market panics at the moment; but they've been rock bottom for ages. They can't fall much further.
Everywhere else in the world has almost zero interest rates; of course they'd be interested in a housing market with 6% or more interest rates.
The high interest rates are the only thing holding the Australian banks together; they are up to their eyeballs in mortgage debt in a bubble market;
the rates allow them to access foreign funds cheaply.
We may have low Government debt, but private debt is off the scale.
I'm from Aus, have you noticed how State Governments are cutting big time? 10% staff cut for public service in Vic.
Do they know?
When we blow we will blow big time.
Borrowing from a Japanese bank would just multiply your debt by the currency fall. And the dollar will fall.
We run a current account deficit even with the mining boom; not a trade account - the only one the media report.
Have mentioned this in other threads.
Stay away; if it seems too good to be true; it probably is.
Buy some dried food, some seeds and a shottie.
edit on 1-1-2012 by Colbomoose because: Grammatical errors