Japan considers making bitcoin a legal currency

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/25/japan-to-make-bitcoin-legal-currency

Japans governing Liberal Democratic party is planning to propose legal changes that would define bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as currencies.

The changes would mean bitcoin could be more tightly regulated and taxed, and are likely to lead to more investment in developing cryptocurrency infrastructure in Japan.

Tomonori Kanda, an official in the financial affairs section at the partys headquarters, said legislative changes were discussed on Wednesday and the LDP aimed to raise the matter in parliament.

There is a long way to go, he said. But we have discussed reform and believe it is the right way to go. The timing of the change was yet to be decided, he said.