I do some research and found this site for example:
http://forum.gaijinpot.com/showthread.php?114083-Cashing-a-chequeIt seems that cheques in Japan as in Germany and in many other countries not to be common. You can not compare it with the Anglo-American world. Other countries normaly do not use cheques, more precisely: bank cheques. It would also not change anything. AML and everything else also applies to bank cheques. There are even more requirements for these cheques.
Hhhahaha wow, great investigative work with that forum thread! Why the moderators still allow you to speak is unbelievable. Worthless commentary.