Topic: [2017-04-08]Media Frenzy in Japan as Bic Camera Starts Accepting Bitcoin (Read 438 times)

Japan in general is far more open to new technologies than is the case with basically any other country. I hope their Bitcoin friendly approach will be some sort of a trigger for other countries to do the same thing as well. Right now countries tend to take in a defensive stance when it comes to Bitcoin, where some countries push it even so far, that they put all sorts of ridiculous policies in place in an attempt to slow down Bitcoin's growth.

Here is a video about someone testing paying with Bitcoin on a store there

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbNG66nQdqA

That's what you gonna love with the Japanese, they are truly embracing bitcoin like no other countries. I hope other country will follow Japan in accepting bitcoin as mode of on-line payment so that we may see bitcoin mass adopted sooner than we think. With Japanese media covering as well, it will reach far because Japan loves technology and innovation there has greater impact to the world. No wonder, Japan will overtake China as the no. 1 country in terms of bitcoin used and trade volumes, so I'm expecting a really bright future for bitcoin ecosystem.

Japan’s consumer electronic retail giant Bic Camera officially began accepting Bitcoin payments on Friday at two of its stores in Tokyo. 28 media crews reportedly gathered to cover the premier event. Bitflyer which processes Bitcoin payments for the stores has also launched a campaign to give away bitcoin to shoppers using its wallet.
Bic Camera’s Bitcoin Premier

Media Frenzy in Japan as Bic Camera Starts Accepting Bitcoin
Premier event at Bic Camera; Photo by Ken Shishido
Bitcoin.com recently reported about the partnership between Bitflyer and Bic Camera for two of Bic Camera’s stores in Tokyo to accept Bitcoin payments. Starting on Friday, customers can pay using bitcoin at the Bic Camera store in Yurakucho district, and at Bicqlo Bic Camera store in Shinjuku East. The latter is a hybrid outlet with a giant casual wear designer, manufacturer, and retailer, Uniqlo. Bic Camera executives say more stores could also start accepting bitcoin.

“You can use Bitcoin at most 100,000 yen for one payment. Other payment methods can be used with Bitcoin together,” according to a Bic Camera’s promotional leaflet for Bitcoin payments. Customers can also collect reward points just as they would using cash.

The event has been covered by major Japanese media outlets including Nikkei and Asahi Shimbun newspapers, as well as a large number of media publications worldwide. In addition, Japan’s national public broadcasting organization, NHK, has also aired a segment of the event. Bic Camera executives expect foreign travelers to be among the first to use bitcoin for payments but the number of local Japanese users are also expected “to rise eventually,” NHK reported.

Ken Shishido, one of the organizers of the Bitcoin Tokyo meetup group, describes Bic Camera stores as a “Best Buy type of electronic shop.” At the premier on Friday, Bitflyer CEO Yuzo Kano spoke to the crowd and, according to a tweet by Shishido, he was “surrounded by 28 media crews at Bic Camera.”

Bitflyer’s Bitcoin Giveaways

Starting on Friday, Bitflyer is also running a campaign to give away bitcoin to customers for shopping at the two Bic Camera stores using a Bitflyer wallet. From April 7 to 19, Media Frenzy in Japan as Bic Camera Starts Accepting BitcoinBitflyer will give the first 200 customers who settle with Bitflyer wallet 500 yen worth of bitcoin, the company explains.

Additionally, during the same period, Bitflyer is also simultaneously promoting its “Bitwire Shop” e-commerce service which allows customers to accept bitcoin on their own websites. Anyone with an e-commerce website or blog can accept Bitcoin payment just by inserting the Bitwire Shop URL onto it, according to a translation of Bitflyer’s description. For this campaign, the company will give the bitcoin equivalent of 500 yen to 200 people who register for Bitwire Shop ver2.1, and winners will be chosen by drawing.

In both cases, the winners will receive their bitcoin within 5 business days after the campaign ends.
https://news.bitcoin.com/japan-bic-camera-starts-accepting-bitcoin/