And as if Japanese banks don't have enough problems, without having to deal with cyberburglars. Hackers rifled confidential computer records of around 20,000 Sakura Bank customers, the bank said this week, taking data that included names, addresses, telephone numbers and dates of birth.

Apparently, the cyber-thieves then sold the information to a mailing-list company. The bank stressed that the hackers were unable to access the customers' accounts, so no money was taken.