＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49）さん / X
In conjunction with the consumption tax rate increase to 10% from October 1, 2019, a cashless payment points rebate system has been implemented.
However, it seems that the specific details of the system have not yet been fully understood, so we will introduce it in an easy-to-understand manner.
If you master cashless payment, you can get up to 5% back, so we recommend that you actively try cashless payment until at least June 30, 2020.
1. About the Cashless Payment Point Rebate System
This is called the “Cashless Point Rebate Project” or “Cashless Consumer Rebate Project.”
It is a government (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) project that aims to “level out demand following the consumption tax hike to 10%, “”improve productivity by promoting cashless payments,”” and “improve consumer convenience,” and is a system that “provides a rebate of up to 5% in points” for “cashless payments” made by “small and medium-sized businesses, etc.” for a “limited period of nine months after the consumption tax hike (until June 30, 2020).”
2. Where can I use the service?
According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as of November 21, 2019, the number of “registered stores” where the cashless payment point rebate system can be used has reached approximately 770,000.
The average daily rebate amount in the five weeks since the start of the system was just over 1.2 billion yen, and it is said to be increasing every week.
(1) General small and medium-sized stores
Among “general small and medium-sized stores” (retail, food and beverage, accommodation, etc.), “stores registered in the point redemption system” offer a 5% point redemption. Look for the “5% redemption sticker” as shown above.
(2) Major affiliated chain stores
Among “major affiliated chain stores” (convenience stores, restaurants, gas stations, etc.), “stores registered in the point redemption system” offer a 2% point redemption.
(3) Large and medium-sized companies
Large and medium-sized companies are not covered by this system, so points are not redeemable.
3. Types of cashless payments eligible for point redemption
(1) Credit cards
(2) Prepaid cards/debit cards
(3) Electronic money
(4) Smartphone payments
4. How points are redeemed (how to receive them)
The “up to 5% points redemption” will be credited to the “points” or “balance” that are implemented for each cashless payment method.
For example, if you use your Rakuten Card at a participating store and receive a 5% rebate,
① Maximum rebate points: 15,000 points per month
② Points awarded: Around the 22nd of the month following the month in which the card was used
Rakuten points will be awarded.
As such, each credit card company and other payment service provider sets an upper limit on the number of points that can be redeemed, so points are not redeemable without limit.
For credit cards that do not have a points system, the points are offset against the amount withdrawn.
Among convenience stores, “Seven-Eleven, Lawson, Family Mart, and Ministop” do not give points, but instead give an “on-the-spot 2% discount.”
5. Items not eligible for point redemption
You cannot receive points on anything you buy; items such as “gift certificates that can be easily converted into cash,” “home purchase costs,” and “car purchase costs” are not eligible for points.