Two of Japan’s major contactless mass-transit payment card systems will become interoperable next year, significantly expanding the systems’ reach, Central Japan Railway Co. said on August 11.
Toica, the contactless transportation card used on railways in the Greater Nagoya area of Japan in the spring of 2011 will become interoperable with Sugoca, a contactless card used in the Fukuoka region, the Nagoya-based railway company said in a statement.
When the integration is complete, cardholders of both systems will be able to use their contactless cards at both regions’ railway transit stations and retail partners that accept either card. The company did not release the exact date cards will be usable on one another’s systems.
Toica is accepted at 148 transit stations, while Sugoca is accepted at 146 stations. Fukuoka-based Kyusyu Railway Company launched Sugoca in March 2009.
Toica has 1,700 retail partners and Sugoca has 5,600 retail partners, the company said.
Because both the Toica and Sugoca card systems already are compatible with the Suica card used in the Greater Tokyo area, next year’s integration will allow cardholders of either system to use their cards for transportation and shopping in three major regions of Japan.
As of July 2010, Toica has issued 970,000 cards and Sugoca has issued 380,000 cards, the company said.
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