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Tag - digitalization

 
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July 24, 2026
 

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DIGITALIZATION

Supporters of a digital euro argue that ?it would reduce the euro zone¡¯s dependence on U.S. payment firms such as Visa, Mastercard and PayPal.
BUSINESS / Tech
Jul 14, 2026
Europe¡¯s digital euro: What it is and how it would work
The negotiations on rules for a digital euro aim to produce a final law by the end of the year and have it launch in 2029.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara (third from left) speaks at a meeting of the digital administrative and fiscal reform council, held at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Tuesday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jul 7, 2026
Japan to launch council to overhaul legal frameworks governing AI use
The government is seeking to advance what is described as AI transformation, or a fundamental review of work using AI, to cope with population decline.
Although paper customs forms are still available?in many cases, it is no longer standard practice to hand them out on all flights.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
Jun 22, 2026
Japan to fully digitalize airport customs system by 2030
The phasing-out of paper customs declaration forms is among measures eyed by the Finance Ministry to handle the inbound movement of people and goods more efficiently.
The House of Councilors plenary session enacted a bill Wednesday to revise the Civil Code to overhaul the country's adult guardianship system for certain people such as those with dementia.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Jun 17, 2026
Japan enacts bill overhauling guardianship system
The revision will allow people to opt out of support under the adult guardianship system based on their needs.
The use of official digital textbooks is expected to start as early as April 2030, after they go through government inspections in fiscal 2028.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
Jun 10, 2026
Japan makes digital textbooks for schools official
Under the new legal framework, education boards will decide which type of textbooks schools under their jurisdiction should adopt ¡ª print, digital or a digital-print ¡°hybrid.¡±
JR East said that the switch to the QR code tickets will eliminate ticket jams inside automated gates.
BUSINESS
Jun 9, 2026
JR East to shift from magnetic to QR code tickets in 2027
JR East said removing the nonrecyclable magnetic layer on the back of the conventional tickets will help reduce environmental impact.
Manatomo Yoneyama, president of Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, speaks during an interview at the bank's headquarters in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on May 22.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 9, 2026
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust mulls up to ?380 billion in digital investment
The bank also plans to spend ?30 billion to optimize its operations and reposition some 900 employees to client-facing roles.
The parliament enacted legislation Wednesday allowing local governments to issue digital debt securities.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Politics
May 27, 2026
Japan enacts bill enabling digital issuance of local government bonds
At a plenary meeting, the Upper House passed legislation to revise multiple laws related to local autonomy, based on proposals from local governments.
A customer at a supermarket in Yokohama. Under a planned food-labeling revision, consumers will be able to scan QR codes on processed food packages to access detailed product information.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / FOCUS
May 17, 2026
Japan to introduce QR code food labels to improve readability
The adoption of digital technology for food labeling is part of a broader international trend.
Starting later this month, participants in civil lawsuits can submit complaints and allegations electronically rather than on paper.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Crime & Legal
May 10, 2026
Japan civil suit procedures to go fully digital May 21
When a third party wants to view a case record, the party will be able to check the record using dedicated terminals.
Digital minister Hisashi Matsumoto answers questions at a Lower House plenary session in April.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
May 6, 2026
Government to launch AI pilot program to boost efficiency and encourage tech¡¯s adoption
Gennai, a generative artificial intelligence platform developed for internal use by civil servants, will be rolled out across 39 government agencies.
The welfare ministry hopes to establish a system so people can apply for special welfare loans only using their My Number card information for identity verification.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Society
May 4, 2026
Japan eyes going digital for emergency welfare loan applications
The welfare ministry expects the digitalization will partially begin in fiscal 2028 to allow households in financial distress to apply quickly via smartphones instead of in person.
Digital textbooks let students check pronunciation and practice instruments with videos, but some worry about potential effects on children's eyesight.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Apr 7, 2026
Japanese government passes bill to make digital textbooks official
Digital textbooks are expected to be used as official learning materials from as early as fiscal 2030 after government screenings in fiscal 2028.
Total spending on advertisements in Japan hit a fourth straight record in 2025, with online ads surpassing 50% for the first time, a Dentsu survey showed.
BUSINESS
Mar 6, 2026
Online ads top 50% of annual ad spending in Japan for first time
Spending on TV, newspaper, magazine and radio ads in 2025 dipped 1.6% to ?2,298 billion, down for the first time in two years.
Noritaka Okabe, CEO of JPYC, has said that stablecoin issuers can become major buyers of government bonds.
BUSINESS / Markets
Jan 5, 2026
Stablecoins likely to be a factor, not a game changer, in Japan¡¯s bond market
Issuers might not buy up enough long-term debt to make a big difference.
SBI Holdings subsidiary Shinsei Trust and Banking is set to issue a yen-based stablecoin next year.
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 16, 2025
Japan¡¯s first bank-backed yen-based stablecoin could be available by June 2026
The hope is that it will be used for the settlement of payments locally and globally
The issuance of My Number cards began in 2016.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Dec 5, 2025
Number of My Number cards held tops 100 million
The internal affairs ministry said that the number equates to 80.3% of the country¡¯s population.
With the government's integration of health insurance with My Number cards, conventional health insurance cards will no longer be accepted at clinics and hospitals across Japan from Dec. 2.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Explainer
Nov 17, 2025
What you need to know about the shift to My Number health insurance cards
By integrating health insurance with My Number cards, the government hopes to streamline administration processes, reduce paperwork and make it easier to treat patients.
JR East is retiring the beloved Suica penguin as part of a rebrand to transform the contactless payment platform, used for both transit and retail, into a mobile fintech powerhouse.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 16, 2025
A beloved Tokyo penguin¡¯s end presages Suica¡¯s shift to payments giant
Since Suica¡¯s introduction in 2001, the penguin has featured on transit cards and apps that are used daily by the tens of millions who traverse the world¡¯s largest metropolis.
Noritaka Okabe, CEO of JPYC, acknowledges a number of potential risks related to stablecoins.
BUSINESS / Tech
Nov 14, 2025
Stablecoins: Boring goes big, and now in Japan
They are designed not to fluctuate in value, and that¡¯s precisely what makes them attractive.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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