Japan falls behind even Nigeria in use of mobile phones for banking

Tokyo

FOR bank analyst Mac Salman, the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi flagship branch in Tokyo is so majestic that he brings friends and family there when they visit Japan.

First, there's the brightly lit panelled ceiling, the plush carpet and marble counter staffed by polite, uniformed tellers unencumbered by bulletproof glass to block interactions with customers. Then there's the crew of ushers who patrol the floor, ready to guide every customer with an eager: "May I help you?"

Said Mr Salman, head of research on Japanese financial firms at Jefferies Group in Tokyo: "You certainly feel very looked-after when you go to do even the simplest of transactions."

The luxurious branches help to explain why Japan, birthplace of the Walkman and PlayStation, falls behind even India and Niger…