テーマは「Toward a Cashless Society」だったのだけど、
最終日に行われる講師同士のフリートーク、「何故日本では
キャッシュレス化が進まないのか?」という文脈で、講師の
杉田敏先生からこんな発言があり、なるほどと思ったのだった。
Cash is still king in Japan as Ueda Shota(※講座の主人公) says.
One reason is that cash especially crisp paper money is prized.
That's what you put in ceremonial envelopes as "otoshidama" for kids at New Year's.
The money inside must be sharp and crisp, not crumpled.
The same goes for monetary gifts at wedding celebrations.
If you only have old bills in your wallet, you go to bank to get new ones.
And unlike certain countries around the world, Japanese paper money is quite clean.