Several months ago we had most of the windows in our home replaced, even though the house is less than 2 years old. When we had it built we ordered standard double-glazed windows with aluminum frames and sashes, thinking it would be enough, but after the first winter we realized is wasn't, so we decided to buy windows that keep more heat inside during colder weather, while also reflecting more of the sun's rays when it's hot.

It was expensive, but the purchase and installation qualified for "eco points," the government system that rewards the purchase of so-called environmentally friendly housing fixtures and features with coupons that can be used to buy other things. In our case, we spent ¥380,000 on the new windows and received 108,000 eco points, which translates as ¥108,000 worth of coupons that we can spend almost anywhere, and for almost anything. You can even donate your points to a charity, if you want.

There's a joke that "eco" in this case doesn't mean "ecology," but rather "economy." It's no secret that the central government has implemented the system as yet another baramaki (scattering seeds) program to stimulate consumer activity. In fact, the current eco-point plan is the third one they've enacted. The first, in 2010, was described as an "emergency economic countermeasure," while the second was in force for only six months in 2012 to help people in the disaster-stricken areas of the Tohoku region rebuild.