July 5, 2019  Bank of Japan  Should the Bank of Japan Issue a Digital Currency? Speech at a Reuters Newsmaker Event in Tokyo  Masayoshi Amamiya Deputy Governor of the Bank of Japan  (English translation based on the Japanese original)  I. Introduction It is a great honor and pleasure for me to be able to speak to you today.
In recent years, the environment surrounding Japan's payment and settlement systems has gone through various changes. On the demand side, consumers seek more convenient payment services, such as those available during the nighttime and on holidays or low-cost international remittance services. Diversified lifestyles and the spread of e-commerce businesses have contributed to this.