From Mt. Gox trauma to national Web3 strategy. Akira and Kyoko unpack how Japan licensed exchanges, defined crypto as legal property, and built one of the cleanest regulatory frameworks in the world.
The voices in this show are AI-generated.
Show notes
Episode 2: Web3 Tokyo
Hosts: Akira & Kyoko
What we cover
- The Mt. Gox 2014 trauma and why Japan didn't ban crypto
- 2017 legal property classification and licensed exchange framework
- Why FTX Japan customers got paid out fully (segregated wallets)
- Cabinet-level Web3 strategy under the Kishida government
- Yen-pegged stablecoins from MUFG and Mitsubishi Trust
- Sony's Soneium chain, Astar Network, Mercari Bitcoin payments
Key thesis
Japan didn't bet on crypto trading. It bet on Web3 as infrastructure. Less hype, more plumbing.
What's next
Watch Japan's stablecoin rollout and tokenized IP from Pokémon, Square Enix, and Konami.
This is Tech Japan Forward on J-Times.