2022 年 29 巻 p. 28-37
We conducted a demonstration experiment of digital local currency in a local shopping district. The results revealed the following three main points among the users of the digital local currency. (1) Increased attachment to the shopping district, (2) Discount not necessarily needed on the use of digital local currency among frequent users, and (3) Encouragement to use at stores they have never used before. With various digital payment methods developed by the private sector already available, a digital local currency should be designed in a way that it can coexist with these methods. In this regard, the policy implications for other regions considering the introduction of digital local currencies are the effectiveness of tying digital local currencies to existing business areas and communities to which the public is already attached, and the effectiveness of generating real communication between shoppers and store owners. There is also the possibility of revitalizing local areas by increasing the degree of attachment of shoppers to the shopping district through digital local currency.
