[Japanese Finance Minister: Designates 2026 as the 'Digital Year,' Aims to Promote Digital Assets Through Stock Exchanges] BlockBeats News, January 5, according to a report by CoinPost, Japanese Finance Minister Katayama Satsuki delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Stock Exchange's first trading day of the new year, designating 2026 as the 'Digital Year.' Katayama Satsuki stated that for citizens to enjoy the benefits of digital assets and blockchain assets, commodity and stock exchanges need to play a crucial role. She expressed her expectation to popularize cryptocurrencies and digital assets through exchange infrastructure. She pointed out that in the United States, crypto assets have already become a means for the public to combat inflation through ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds), hinting that Japan may adopt similar measures. Katayama Satsuki also emphasized that, as the Minister in charge of financial affairs, she will fully support the efforts of exchanges to build a trading environment utilizing cutting-edge financial technology and expressed her hope for the stock market to reach new highs this year.