[gnopgnip]

The real cost is much higher than that, because you are not paid in bitcoin in the US, and your friend in Japan cannot spend bitcoin to buy food or pay rent. You also have to trust multiple entities along the way.

You can send money to Japan using moneygram, or transferwise, or a number of other services for a lower all in cost.

[skilgarriff]

In fact I am paid in Bitcoin -> On my weekends I accept code bounties for small amounts of Bitcoin for fun. I've used that Bitcoin to buy coffee at my local coffee shop and have lunch with my friend in Japan at restaurants that accept Bitcoin (which is actually what got me into it in the first place).