And coming back to the similarities between Japan and Germany I spoke about at the beginning of my speech, the creation of more efficient, safer and user-friendly digital payment methods might further reduce the importance of cash in both Japan and Germany. That said, I am certain that the passion for beer will probably endure, even in a digital future.
In closing, I now look forward to exchanging ideas with you and to an enjoyable end to the evening here at the German Institute for Japanese Studies. Thank you for your attention  Footnotes 1. Director of the German Institute for Japanese Studies. 2. EHI, Payment im E-Commerce, April 2019. Extrapolation by the EHI.