In Japan, cash has long been the preferred method of payment for most transactions. Traditional credit and debit cards have been slow to catch on among the Japanese, and even today it is not unusual to see a purchase worth thousands of dollars paid for in hard cash at Japanese retail stores. However, the long reign in Japan of cash as king appears to be nearing an end, as consumers here move increasingly toward different types of electronic money and payment methods. Cashless Commuting Currently, the most visible use of electronic payment in Japan comes in the form of a …