Japan is increasing its efforts in developing a central bank digital currency (CBDC), reported the largest financial paper in Japan, Nikkei on Wednesday. The post further confirms that the Japanese government plans to add the development of a digital yen into its policy framework this year.

Governments and central banks are looking at digital payments and currencies more seriously in a bid to plan for future financial systems. With China and Russia leading the field of digital payments, Japan is trying to catch up on developing its own.

Lawmakers in the country have long been calling for regulations and policies to be set in developing a digital yen. Moreover, cooperation with the US and Europe is on the cards to build a local electronic payment system.

Earlier this month, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) released a technical study report on launching a digital yen but said they had no plans to launch it soon. The BoJ has had a knack for CBDCs and digital payment systems for a while now since China’s announced it's digital yuan is nearly complete.

Other top banks in the country are also exploring the digital asset world as seen with the recent joining of three top Japanese banks – Mizuho Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) – to a crypto exchange-led study group.

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