Kansai trains to launch credit card touch payments

Nov 03, 2023 | News On Japan

OSAKA - Three railway companies in the Kansai area have announced the introduction of a credit card touch payment system at ticket gates in 2024.

Kintetsu Railway, Hankyu Railway, and Hanshin Electric Railway plan to install ticket gates equipped with dedicated readers that can process fare payments when passengers hold up credit cards or smartphones with touch payment functions.

This will eliminate the need to purchase tickets or recharge IC cards.

The initiative aims to enhance convenience for foreign visitors ahead of the Osaka-Kansai Expo.

This touch payment system has already been implemented by Nankai Electric Railway the year before last, while Osaka Metro reportedly intends to introduce it next year.

Kintetsu Railway connects Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Nagoya, Tsu, Ise, and Yoshino.

Hankyu Railway provides commuter and interurban service to the northern Kansai region.

Hanshin Electric Railway links Osaka and Kobe.

Typhoon No. 30 Accelerates Northward as Heavy Rain Threatens Japan

Typhoon No. 30 was moving north through the East China Sea at 30 kilometers per hour at 6 p.m. on October 24, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, as the large storm continued to weaken while approaching Kyushu, raising concerns about heavy rainfall across western and eastern Japan through October 26.

Japan Braces for Widespread Travel Delays

Typhoon No. 30 is raising the risk of widespread transport disruption across Japan on Sunday, October 25, particularly from the afternoon into the evening, as heavy rain and strong winds threaten airline schedules, railway services and major expressways. The most serious disruption is forecast from Sunday night through Monday morning, when the typhoon is expected to approach Kyushu and intensify an autumn rain front extending across western and eastern Japan.

Japan's Terra Drone Supplies Weapons to Ukraine as Russia Warns of Retaliation

Japanese drone manufacturer Terra Drone has delivered interceptor drones to Ukraine's Ministry of Defense for the first time, prompting Russia to threaten retaliatory measures on October 21, as Japan considers expanding domestic drone production and strengthening its coastal defenses through thousands of unmanned aircraft.

PHP Security Flaw Forces Shutdowns Across Japan, Including Takaichi's Website

A critical security flaw discovered in PHP, a programming language used by an estimated 70% of the world's web systems, has triggered widespread disruptions across Japan since October 21, forcing banks, restaurant chains, government agencies and other businesses to suspend online services as a precaution against potential cyberattacks.

Cyberattacks Hit Japanese Police and Businesses

A growing wave of cyberattacks across Japan has raised concerns over the possible use of Chinese-developed artificial intelligence in hacking operations, with personal information belonging to tens of thousands of police employees potentially exposed and major companies forced to suspend online services, while cybersecurity experts warn that slow decision-making within Japanese organizations is allowing damage to spread.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Travel NEWS

Rare Typhoon No. 31 Strengthens as Japan Records 31st Storm in 13 Years

Typhoon No. 31 (In-fa) was moving slowly northward near the Marshall Islands at 9 p.m. on October 24, strengthening as Japan's annual typhoon count reached 31 for the first time in 13 years and only the fifth time by the end of October since records began in 1951, with forecasts indicating the storm could become very strong by October 28.

Autumn Colors Sweep Across Tateyama in Japan's Northern Alps

The Northern Alps in central Japan have entered the height of their autumn colors, with the alpine landscape around Tateyama's Murodo Plateau in Toyama Prefecture offering spectacular views of red and yellow vegetation, rugged mountain ridges and the rare Japanese rock ptarmigan, a protected bird species whose survival depends on the delicate balance of the mountain ecosystem.

Japan Introduces Personalized Motorcycle License Plates

Motorcycle owners across Japan can now choose their preferred license plate numbers under a new system introduced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on October 19th, with popular numbers allocated by lottery and applications costing between 2,500 and 3,000 yen.

Hokkaido Hits Minus 4.3 Degrees as Autumn Chill Spreads Across Japan

Temperatures fell to their lowest levels of the season across much of Japan on the morning of October 18, with Rikubetsu in Hokkaido recording minus 4.3 degrees Celsius, the country's lowest temperature so far this autumn, before sunshine brought warmer conditions during the day and some areas experienced unseasonably hot weather.

Kyoto's 10,000 Yen Tourist Tax: Where Is the Money Going?

Kyoto City expects revenue from its accommodation tax to more than double to approximately 13.2 billion yen this fiscal year following a substantial increase in the maximum nightly levy to 10,000 yen, as the city seeks to address overtourism and ease the pressure that millions of visitors place on residents and public infrastructure.

Two-Ton Shrines Collide at Himeji's Nada Fighting Festival

The Nada Fighting Festival, known for its spectacular collisions between massive portable shrines weighing around two tons, drew large crowds to Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, on October 15, as participants repeatedly slammed the heavy structures into one another in a traditional ritual believed to please the gods.

Super El Niño Could Bring Japan a Warm Winter After Summer of Typhoons

The El Niño phenomenon developing in the Pacific Ocean has reached its strongest level since records began in 1949, with sea surface temperatures off Peru rising 4 degrees Celsius above normal in September, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on October 9, raising concerns about extreme weather worldwide and the prospect of an unusually warm winter in Japan.

Disney Imagination Sets Sail for Japan in 2029

Japan's first Disney cruise ship will be named "Disney Imagination," with Oriental Land and its partners planning to launch the service in spring 2029, offering a new Disney-themed travel experience departing from Tokyo.

< 2 3 4 5 >