Photo/Illutration A bank passbook (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

I recall reading quite a while ago in Aera, a weekly magazine published by The Asahi Shimbun, that essayist Sawako Agawa's hobby was going to the bank to update her account activity on her passbook.

She put this down to the humiliation she experienced years back, when her father reminded her bluntly that it was all thanks to his income that she was able to enjoy an easy life.

The realization made her desperately want to break free of her father's control, she recalled. And when she started working, she awakened to the pleasure of saving money. Every amount she saw credited to her account must have felt to her like proof of her independence.

In that sense, a bank passbook represents the financial history of a person or a family. And I imagine there are people who have held on to every passbook they've had in the past.

Traditionally, a bank account and passbook always went together in Japan. But now, it appears this tradition is being phased out.

Next year, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., will start charging a handling fee of 1,100 yen for the issuance of a paper passbook at the time of opening a new account.

Although the fee is waived for clients who are 70 and older, the bank still strongly urges all its customers to go paperless and use its online platform.

Mizuho's main reason is cost cutting, and there are signs now that other banks will also follow suit.

Historically, "mokkan" strips of wood were used before paper to record business transactions, such as sales of rice. It was always extremely important to keep records, and in that sense, the demise of passbooks is perhaps a major historical event.

We use various items to record our personal history without consciously thinking about it. It could be a personal planner where I note down my daily schedule, or music CDs that contain my favorite tunes over time.

But now that even these are becoming replaced by the scheduling and music streaming functions on my smartphone, I suppose the eventual disappearance of bank passbooks must be seen in this broader context.

Convenience is a good thing, and there is no stemming the social trend.

Still, it makes me a bit sad, and I think I will write that down in my paper diary.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Sept. 2

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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