Japan's savers won't play ball as BOJ turns negative

But the alternatives are too risky.

"I'm scared to keep money under the mattress," she said. "But I don't know about investing, either, since there's no knowing how stocks will move."

...

"Even if interest rates on time deposits fall from 0.02 percent to 0.01 percent, depositors are not losing money. Many people are likely to keep deposits even if interest rates go down to zero."

Banks are unlikely, however, to follow Kuroda into negative territory. It would be too unpopular to charge savers, especially the elderly, for holding their money, finance professionals say.