Japan Railway Journal ( S2017 E11) Prepaid E money Cards: The Smart Way to Travel in Japan

15 million people commute in and out of Tokyo every day, and most of them now use prepaid emoney cards. Because one card can be recognized by multiple transport companies, the system has streamlined automated fare collection. A card s IC chip has an ewallet function, and can store information such as boarding section and expiration dates on monthly passes; all of which can be verified in just 0. 2 seconds. See how these cards and the technology behind them have transformed rail travel in Japan.