Quake Could Create "Shopping Refugees" in Cashless Japan

   Tokyo, April 8 (Jij Press)--The growing reliance on cashless payments in Japan has brought greater convenience to daily life, but also heightened the risk of confusion when disaster strikes.
   If a major earthquake triggers widespread power outages and communication failures, payments by credit cards, electronic money or quick response, or QR, codes may not be possible, leaving many consumers stranded as "shopping refugees."
   In a new report on projected damage from a major earthquake feared to strike along the Nankai Trough in the Pacific off central to western Japan, the government emphasized that efforts to maintain financial and settlement functions "must be implemented on an ongoing basis."
   According to data released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on March 31, the total value of cashless payments in Japan reached 141 trillion yen in 2024, a 3.7-fold increase from 38 trillion yen in 2010. Cashless transactions accounted for 42.8 pct of personal consumption in 2024, up from 13.2 pct in 2010, surpassing the government's 40 pct target for the first time.
   With the ability to make payments through designated smartphone apps, a growing number of people now often go out without carrying a wallet or cash.

(2025/04/08-10:30)

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