The entire process of opening a restaurant usually takes nine to 14 months, sometimes longer, said Regina Dick-Endrizzi, director of the Office of Small Business.

WSJ: Bid to Ease the Squeeze on Business

When he was making the daily commute to the office, and, as a managing director in charge of sales, frequently hosting business dinners, Iichiro had been under the impression that his wife was spending all of her time, apart from shopping for daily needs, at home.

FORBES: "Paradise Lost" -- Love, Retirement, and Marriage in Japan