Japanese government officials are weighing whether to regulate bitcoin exchanges in the wake of new developments in the ongoing investigation of Mt Gox.

Media reports from The Japan Times and The Japan News suggest that the government, including those from the country's Financial Services Agency, may seek to implement a registration system for exchange operators. Such a framework may include a licensing scheme and user identification requirements.

The Times quoted Finance Minister Taro Aso who said that government officials would need to "carry out studies" on how to properly regulate digital currency exchanges.