Japanese crypto exchanges to speed up cryptocurrency listings

Mar 22, 2022 | News On Japan

Mar 22, 2022 (Nikkei) - Japan's crypto exchanges are simplifying the process for approving new cryptocurrency listings, in an aim to boost the number that are traded in the country and catch up with the rest of the world, an industry body said on Tuesday.

The Japan Virtual and Crypto Assets Exchange Association (JVCEA), a group of 31 exchanges, plans to release a "green list" of 18 popular cryptocurrencies in late March, it said in an online presentation. Members previously needed to go through the association's screening process to list any currency, but those on the green list will no longer be subject to screening.

U.S. exchange Coinbase listed 139 cryptocurrencies for trading at the end of 2021. In comparison, only about 40 are listed on Japanese exchanges in total. The 1.18 trillion yen ($9.8 billion) worth of cryptocurrency held by users at Japanese exchanges as of January was also a fraction of Coinbase's $278 billion in December.

Some industry executives said sophisticated traders have flocked to exchanges that do not have a license in Japan, such as Binance, partly due to the lack of options.

The green list includes cryptocurrencies that are considered "widely handled in Japan," such as bitcoin, ethereum, XRP and Litecoin. Conditions for being added to the list include being listed on three or more exchanges, one of which has listed the currency for at least six months.

The Japanese exchange with the largest number of listings currently is GMO Coin, which handles 20 cryptocurrencies, according to a JVCEA official.

Heavy Rain Triggers Flood Warnings in Tokyo

Heavy rain continued across wide areas of Japan on September 9 after downpours began the previous day, prompting Level 4 flood danger warnings along several rivers in Tokyo and, at one point, a Level 5 emergency safety alert in Nagoya, while forecasters warned that another round of intense rain could hit the Kanto region during the afternoon and evening.

Nagoya Streets Flood as Linear Rainbands Hit Aichi and Gifu

Torrential rain caused widespread flooding across central Japan on September 8, inundating roads in central Nagoya and other cities as linear rainbands formed over Aichi and Gifu prefectures and authorities warned that similar conditions could develop in the Kanto region through September 9.

Tickets for Asian Games Selling Fast

Ticket sales for the Asian Games are gathering pace with less than two weeks until the competition begins, with more than 60% of tickets sold for the opening ceremony and 31 sports as of September 7, although organizers say seats remain readily available for events including soccer and baseball.

Gasoline Can and Knives Found After Deadly Gifu Cake Shop Blaze

Police investigating a fire that killed three people at a cake shop in Motosu, Gifu Prefecture, have found a gasoline container and multiple knives in the burned-out building and are examining whether a 70-year-old company executive who died after the incident brought the fuel to the scene.

Japanese Teens Spend Least Time on Social Media Among 24 Countries

Japanese 15-year-olds spend an average of 2.3 hours browsing social media during their weekday free time, the shortest amount among 24 countries surveyed, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Kyoto Employee Busted Stealing Used Sanitary Products From Women's Restroom

A 62-year-old Kyoto Prefectural Government employee has been suspended for three months after repeatedly entering a women's restroom at his workplace and taking used sanitary products, with the employee subsequently resigning voluntarily.

Tokyo Prosecutors Seek 200,000 Yen Fine for Dewi Sukarno Over Assault Charges

Prosecutors have sought a fine of 200,000 yen for entertainer Dewi Sukarno, widely known in Japan as Dewi Fujin, who is charged with two counts of assault against former members of her agency staff, arguing that the 86-year-old has not shown sufficient reflection on her actions.

Man Stabbed in Tokyo After Dispute Over Unpaid Rent

A man in his 40s who went to collect overdue rent at an apartment in Nishitokyo, Tokyo, was repeatedly stabbed on September 7, with police arresting a 66-year-old resident who was three months behind on rent and was scheduled to vacate the property that day.

Gasoline Can and Knives Found After Deadly Gifu Cake Shop Blaze

Man Arrested Over Six Suspicious Fires in Tokyo

A 58-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of setting fire to a home in Tokyo's Adachi Ward on September 4, injuring an 81-year-old woman, as police investigate whether he was involved in six suspicious fires reported in the area over about two weeks.

Emperor Naruhito Harvests Rice in Annual Imperial Palace Tradition

Emperor Naruhito carried out the annual rice harvest at a paddy field within the Imperial Palace on September 8, cutting two varieties of rice that will be used in ceremonies including the Niinamesai harvest festival.

Police Detain 39 Toyoko Kids, 40% Report Overdose Experience

Tokyo police detained 39 minors during a two-day nighttime operation around the "Toyoko" area of Kabukicho in Shinjuku, with 17 of them, or roughly 40%, found to have previously overdosed on medication.

Woman Dies After Car Flooded in Underpass

A woman in her 60s died after her car was submerged in a flooded underpass in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, as record rainfall caused widespread flooding, landslides and transport disruption across Kanto and surrounding areas on September 7, with authorities warning that further rain was expected during the evening commute.

< 2 3 4 5 >