課題
商店街の小規模店はキャッシュレス決済を拡大すべきか。公的資料を少なくとも一つ用い、店と客の双方の立場、反対意見、実行可能な提案を含めて、1,000～1,200字で論じなさい。参照した資料は本文と末尾に示すこと。
留学神社 · Undergraduate assignment essayUndergraduate application · Assignment essay
Application essay
Undergraduate assignment essay
Should small shops in a shopping district expand cashless payments?
Understand the prompt, support your judgment with public sources, and address opposing views. Build an essay with a clear position, reasons, and conditions for implementation.
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神社
Prompt and essay
Assignment and essay
Read the prompt before the Japanese essay, then check for a position, source evidence, opposing views, and a proposal. Each paragraph starts with a one-character indent, and sources are listed at the end. Copy and print output the Japanese manuscript and its references.
商店街の小規模店におけるキャッシュレス決済の導入
商店街の小規模店は、キャッシュレス決済を一律に拡大すべきだろうか。私は、客の選択肢を増やす意義は大きいが、すべての店に同じ方法を求めるべきではないと考える。店ごとの費用と利用状況を確かめ、現金も使える状態を保ちながら、必要な手段から段階的に導入するのがよい。
経済産業省によると、2024年のキャッシュレス決済比率は42.8％だった。これはクレジットカード、デビットカード、電子マネー、コード決済の決済額合計を民間最終消費支出で割った金額比率であり、利用者や導入店舗の割合ではない。この数字は支払いの変化を示す一方、個々の商店街で何を導入すべきかまでは教えてくれない。地域の店が判断するには、店頭で希望される決済方法や時間帯、客単価を別に確かめる必要がある。
導入を検討する理由は、現金を持たない客にも買い物の機会を開けることにある。会計方法の選択肢が増えれば、昼休みなど短い時間に立ち寄る客にとっても使いやすくなる可能性がある。店側でも釣り銭を準備する手間が減るかもしれない。しかし、これらは店によって異なる効果である。来店客が求める方法と、レジで実際にかかる時間を確かめずに、便利になると断定することはできない。
他方、導入には負担がある。経済産業省の検討会のとりまとめは、中小店舗から決済手数料の重さや売上の入金サイクルの長さなどが課題として挙がったことを示している。売上が増えても手数料を差し引けば利益が減る場合があり、入金までの期間も仕入れ資金に関わる。とりわけ客単価が低い店では、利用額だけでなく、手数料、端末費用、入金時期を合わせて比較しなければならない。
さらに、現金を残すことには意味がある。スマートフォンを使わない客もおり、通信障害や端末の不調が起きたときには別の支払手段が必要になる。『便利なら全面的に切り替えるべきだ』という意見には、会計を簡単にする利点がある。しかし、客が選べる方法を減らし、障害時の対応も難しくするなら、商店街全体の使いやすさにはつながらない。無現金化を目標にするのではなく、店と客の双方が支払いを続けられることを基準にすべきだ。
そこで、各店はまず一週間程度、客から希望された支払方法と会計時の困りごとを記録し、利用が見込める一つの方法を試すとよい。試行後は利用件数だけでなく、手数料を含む費用、入金までの日数、会計の所要時間を比べる。商店街の組合は契約条件を見比べる場を設け、障害時の案内も共有できる。数字と現場の声の両方で効果を確かめ、現金を残したまま、続けられる店から広げることが妥当である。
参考資料
Prompt requirements
What the prompt asks
Fluent writing can still lose marks if it misses the prompt. Separate the subject, required tasks, and length limit, then check which paragraph answers each requirement.
State your position first, then qualify the approach
店ごとの費用と利用状況を確かめ、現金も使える状態を保ちながら、必要な手段から段階的に導入するView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 1The essay supports conditional expansion: check each shop's costs and demand, retain cash, and introduce new methods gradually.
Why it matters:The reader can identify the central judgment at the start and check whether later paragraphs explain each condition.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Write your answer as: “I argue that…, provided that….” Keep two or three conditions at most and justify each in the essay.
What to watch for:Do not use “it depends” as your conclusion. Without criteria for deciding, it does not answer the question.
Identify what the data can show
決済額合計を民間最終消費支出で割った金額比率であり、利用者や導入店舗の割合ではないView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 2The 42.8% figure is the total value of four cashless payment methods divided by private final consumption expenditure. It is not the share of users or shops that accept them.
Why it matters:The prompt requires source evidence. Explaining the statistical definition correctly prevents a background figure from being mistaken for a local finding.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:First note the numerator, denominator, region, and year. Then explain in one sentence which step of your argument the statistic can support.
What to watch for:Do not write that “nearly half of small shops accept cashless payments” or “nearly half of residents use them.” The data supports neither claim.
Turn the proposal into an actionable step
客から希望された支払方法と会計時の困りごとを記録しView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 6Recording the payment methods customers request and difficulties at checkout is a first step shops can take.
Why it matters:The prompt asks for a feasible proposal. It can be evaluated when it specifies who acts, what they observe, and how they decide what to do next.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Check each part of the proposal: who records what, how long the trial lasts, and which measures determine whether it continues.
What to watch for:Simply writing “the government should strongly promote it” is insufficient. It exceeds what shops can control and offers no way to evaluate the outcome.
Claims and evidence
Evidence supporting the argument
Quoting a number does not complete an argument. Explain the population and definition, then state which judgment the data supports and which local circumstances still need investigation.
A national ratio gives context, not a shop survey
店頭で希望される決済方法や時間帯、客単価を別に確かめる必要があるView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 2The national value ratio only shows that payment methods are changing. Whether a shopping district needs a particular additional method depends on customer requests, time of day, and spending per customer.
Why it matters:This prevents the argument from jumping directly from national figures to one small shop.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:After the figure, add “This still does not tell us…,” then list two or three things that need local observation.
What to watch for:Do not assign national totals to an individual shop or invent a specific usage rate from everyday impressions.
Connect cost evidence to business decisions
決済手数料の重さや売上の入金サイクルの長さなどが課題として挙がったView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 4The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's report identifies fees and settlement cycles as concerns for small and medium-sized shops. The essay then explains how they affect profit and funds for purchasing stock.
Why it matters:Explaining the mechanism after citing the source supports the case against expansion more effectively than merely listing document titles.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Identify the burdens the source actually discusses, then add one inference: “Therefore, the shop needs to compare….”
What to watch for:Do not claim that every small shop will lose money. The source identifies risks; it does not calculate this shop's profit.
Keep potential benefits testable
店によって異なる効果であるView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 3Greater convenience and less time handling change are reasonable possibilities. The actual effects still depend on customers and checkout procedures.
Why it matters:This keeps the reasons for expansion credible and prepares the ground for the trial measures proposed at the end.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Pair each expected benefit with an observable measure, such as checkout time or the payment methods customers request.
What to watch for:Without time or sales records, do not claim that checkout will definitely be faster or revenue will definitely increase.
Argument structure
How each paragraph advances the argument
Every paragraph, from the opening position to the proposal, should help answer the prompt. Check that background evidence, reasons on both sides, and final implementation conditions all support the same judgment.
Paragraph 1 · State a conditional position
店ごとの費用と利用状況を確かめ、現金も使える状態を保ちながら、必要な手段から段階的に導入するView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 1The opening answers whether expansion is desirable while stating two conditions: proceed gradually and retain cash.
Why it matters:Readers learn the conclusion first, then judge whether the reasons adequately support it.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Check whether the following five paragraphs explain each key term in the opening. Revise any condition that remains unexplained.
What to watch for:Do not open by merely repeating the prompt or listing payment methods.
Paragraph 2 · Present the data and its limits
決済額合計を民間最終消費支出で割った金額比率であり、利用者や導入店舗の割合ではないView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 2The paragraph presents a verifiable figure, then explains that it does not represent the share of people or shops using cashless payments.
Why it matters:This sets limits on the evidence available for later judgments about the local area.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Place the year, measure, and source in the same paragraph as the figure, then add a sentence stating what cannot be inferred.
What to watch for:Do not write only “statistics show it reached 42.8%” and leave readers to guess the denominator.
Paragraph 3 · Explain possible benefits for customers and shops
現金を持たない客にも買い物の機会を開けるView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 3The paragraph begins with customers who have no cash, then considers possible changes to short shopping visits and handling change.
Why it matters:Identifying specific beneficiaries avoids vague appeals to “the trend of the times.”
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:For each benefit, identify who gains and describe signs that could be observed in the shop.
What to watch for:Do not present untested convenience as an effect that every shop will experience.
Paragraph 4 · Explain how costs affect operations
手数料、端末費用、入金時期を合わせて比較しなければならないView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 4Fees, equipment, and settlement dates together determine whether a shop can afford the service. Payment volume alone is insufficient.
Why it matters:This paragraph makes the conditions for expansion concrete.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Use a small table to separate fixed costs, transaction fees, and settlement timing, then identify which items need checking with the provider.
What to watch for:Do not merely state that there are costs. Explain where those costs affect the business.
Paragraph 5 · Present the opposing case fairly, then respond
『便利なら全面的に切り替えるべきだ』という意見には、会計を簡単にする利点があるView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 5The essay acknowledges that a complete switch could simplify checkout, then explains why cash is still needed for customer choice and as a backup during failures.
Why it matters:Acknowledging the other side's reasonable grounds allows a focused response.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:First state the opposing side's strongest reason as accurately as possible in one sentence. Then address the condition it overlooks.
What to watch for:Do not portray opponents as “people against technology.” That avoids the real questions of cost and convenience.
Paragraph 6 · Conclude the proposal with evaluation measures
利用件数だけでなく、手数料を含む費用、入金までの日数、会計の所要時間を比べるView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 6After a trial, usage, costs, settlement, and checkout time must be considered together to judge whether expansion is worthwhile.
Why it matters:The conclusion returns to whether expansion is desirable and offers a method for deciding whether to continue.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Recast the conclusion as three steps: record, trial, and compare. Give each step an actor or a decision measure.
What to watch for:Do not introduce an undiscussed policy suddenly in the conclusion.
Revision and citations
Revising arguments and citations
First check that every part of the prompt is answered, then that the evidence supports the conclusion, and finally refine length and wording. The following revisions start from the original sentences.
Priority 1 · Prevent misuse of the value ratio
決済額合計を民間最終消費支出で割った金額比率であり、利用者や導入店舗の割合ではないView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 2The essay already defines the numerator and denominator and rules out interpreting the figure as a share of people or shops. During revision, check that later passages do not treat the national value ratio as local demand.
Why it matters:Even a correctly defined number distorts the argument if it is later used as an adoption rate.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Circle every use of 42.8% and ask whether it describes national context or judges an individual shop. For the latter, replace it with shop records.
What to watch for:Do not shorten the essay by deleting the definition and retaining only 42.8%.
Priority 2 · Give cost comparisons a practical criterion
手数料、端末費用、入金時期を合わせて比較しなければならないView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 4The manuscript lists items to compare but does not yet explain how a shop would use them to decide whether to trial or stop a method.
Why it matters:Without a decision criterion, the proposal can become merely a list of information.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:The final paragraph could add that the trial will compare additional revenue or checkout time saved with all costs and check that settlement dates do not disrupt stock purchases. Do not insert amounts without actual records.
What to watch for:Do not invent fee rates, payback dates, or revenue increases.
Priority 3 · Define when the trial ends
客から希望された支払方法と会計時の困りごとを記録しView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 6“About a week” provides a starting point, but the essay should also state who reviews the records after the trial and when a decision on expansion will be made.
Why it matters:A clear owner and endpoint keep the proposal from stopping at “let us observe first.”
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Let the shopping district association compare terms and gather experience, while each shop keeps checkout records. Set a date to review the trial.
What to watch for:Do not require every shop to replace all payment equipment at once.
Oral explanation
Explaining your argument aloud
When asked about a figure, an opposing view, or the basis of your proposal, explain it in your own words. Practice giving your judgment first, then pointing to reasons in the essay and sources.
Why not recommend expansion at every shop at once?
店ごとの費用と利用状況を確かめ、現金も使える状態を保ちながら、必要な手段から段階的に導入するView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 1Acknowledge the value of more options, then explain that costs, customers, and readiness differ between shops.
Why it matters:This tests whether you understand what a conditional position means.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:In thirty seconds, explain customer demand, shop burdens, and the reasons for retaining cash, in that order.
What to watch for:Do not describe your position as blanket opposition to cashless payments.
What exactly does 42.8% mean?
決済額合計を民間最終消費支出で割った金額比率であり、利用者や導入店舗の割合ではないView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 2State that it refers to 2024 and compares cashless payment value with private final consumption expenditure. Explain that it is not a share of people or shops adopting cashless payments.
Why it matters:This is where follow-up questions most readily reveal confusion about the statistical definition.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Close the essay and explain the year, denominator, and two things the figure cannot establish without looking.
What to watch for:Do not answer that “nearly half of shops have adopted it.”
Which cost should a small shop check first?
手数料、端末費用、入金時期を合わせて比較しなければならないView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 4There is no single answer. Fees, equipment costs, and settlement dates must be considered within the shop's own income and spending arrangements.
Why it matters:The prompt asks for a workable decision, rather than memorization of an industry average.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Use a hypothetical shop with low spending per customer and explain each question to ask the provider. Do not insert fabricated figures.
What to watch for:Do not turn general concerns in the source into losses already experienced by every shop.
Why should cash remain available?
通信障害や端末の不調が起きたときには別の支払手段が必要になるView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 5To accommodate customers who do not use smartphones and retain a payment option during network or equipment failures.
Why it matters:This tests whether your response to the opposing view considers real usage situations.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Give an example of a checkout interruption and explain how staff would tell customers which backup method is available.
What to watch for:Do not equate people who do not use smartphones with a particular age group.
How would you decide whether to expand after the trial?
利用件数だけでなく、手数料を含む費用、入金までの日数、会計の所要時間を比べるView the Japanese manuscript · Paragraph 6Compare demand, costs, settlement, and checkout time together, and ask about difficulties customers and staff encountered.
Why it matters:Whether the conclusion is workable depends on your ability to name review measures.
Preparation methods and common pitfalls
How to prepare:Draw a four-column record sheet and explain which findings would lead to continuation, adjustment, or stopping.
What to watch for:Do not substitute “everyone finds it convenient” for records.
Submission and sources
Submission checks and sources
Check the position, reasons on both sides, opposing views, and proposal against the prompt. Then verify the year, denominator, and end references for the ministry's data. Effects at shops not investigated should remain judgments to be tested.
Prompt and length
Check every part of the prompt: clearly answer whether to expand and include shop and customer perspectives, opposing views, official evidence, and a feasible proposal. Count Japanese characters in the essay and adjust to the actual requirement.
Statistical definition
Verify the 2024 figure of 42.8% on the ministry's 2025 release page. It is the combined value of four cashless payment methods divided by private final consumption expenditure. Do not describe it as a share of people, transaction counts, or shops adopting cashless payments.
Sources and citations
Check that the two in-text citations correspond to the end references. Retain the publishing body, title, year, and link. Verify claims about cost burdens against the ministry's 2022 report.
Style and inference
Separate facts shown by sources from inferences framed as possibilities or recommendations. Check certainty, transitions, and paragraph links sentence by sentence so that uninvestigated shop effects are not presented as established facts.
School information and cited sources
Practice plan
Suggested preparation exercises
Map each paragraph to a task in the prompt, write out the definition of 42.8%, and use a review sheet to explain how a small shop could evaluate the proposal.
Map the prompt's tasks
Make five boxes for position, both perspectives, opposing views, evidence, and proposal. After reading the essay, enter the relevant paragraph numbers. Empty boxes show what needs adding.
Write a profile for the statistic
Record the year, statistical subject, denominator, and source for 42.8% in one sentence. Then explain why it cannot establish the adoption rate in the shopping district.
Turn the proposal into a review sheet
Create columns such as customer requests, usage count, total costs, and settlement and failures. State who records them and when continuation will be decided.