Japan's top financial officials are signaling a major shift on crypto. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama has openly backed bringing cryptocurrency trading to the country's stock exchanges—a move influenced by the success of U.S. Bitcoin ETFs. The statement carries real weight: the government is positioning 2026 as Japan's "Digital Year," suggesting coordinated policy moves ahead. This isn't just rhetoric. Japan has been quietly watching how Bitcoin ETFs transformed market access in the U.S., and now it's moving to level the playing field domestically. For traders and investors monitoring Asia-Pacific regulatory developments, this could reshape how digital assets are integrated into traditional financial infrastructure across the region.