Cash usage is mostly because people feel they are more likely to get cheated by the banks then be robbed (which is probably a pretty fair assessment of risk ;).

Cash usage is mostly because people feel they are more likely to get cheated by the banks then be robbed (which is probably a pretty fair assessment of risk ;). I remember in the past making a $6,000 bank transfers by going to the convenience store ATM taking out money and going to the bank ATM. I don't know anywhere else in the world where I would feel safe doing that. There is also a lot of electronic money usage. Many people carry hundreds of dollars on their rail cards. Credit cards are considered risky in Japan. My understanding is that chargebacks are not enshrined in law so its not guaranteed and whether it is or not most people presume they will have to pay if their credit card is fraudulently charged. Convenience store payments are also popular because they are low risk and convenient.