About 230 academics and representatives of groups that have introduced supplemental currencies that are spent in local communities, over the Internet or in other limited uses, gathered here Thursday at the First International Conference on Local Currencies.
Four overseas panelists presented their local currencies, including a Canadian currency used to support homeless people and a U.S.-based currency used over the Internet in 130 countries.
"I hope this conference provides the opportunity to promote local currencies," remarked Heizo Takenaka, economic and fiscal policy minister, during the opening session of the two-day gathering. The host city introduced a local currency known as the "kurin" earlier this year.