Thanks to Bankruptcy Listserv reader David Yen for pointing out the Wall Street Journal’s recent (December 15) editorial calling for more regulation of consumer lending in Japan.  Strictly speaking, the Journal’s editors complain about the persistence of usury ceilings in Japan, but in so doing they  recognize the need for government regulation of a consumer lending market that is not functioning properly.  It looks like this is a policy area that will be heating up as the new Congress opens up its new session in 2007.