News On Japan

All Tokyo Metro Lines to Allow Tap Payments

TOKYO - From spring 2026, passengers will be able to ride the entire Tokyo Metro network using contactless payments via credit cards or smartphones, without the need for tickets or transit IC cards.

Tokyo Metro announced on July 24th that it will introduce a new service enabling passengers to touch a credit or debit card—equipped with contactless payment functionality—or a compatible smartphone at ticket gates to enter and exit stations. The initiative aims to improve convenience for users, particularly international travelers who may not possess Japanese transit IC cards.

The new system will cover all Tokyo Metro lines. However, the company stated that plans for transfers to lines operated by other railway companies remain undecided.

Similar contactless payment systems have already been introduced by Tokyu Corporation and Keio Corporation last year. JR Kyushu is also conducting pilot tests in selected areas.

Source: TBS

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako watched Japan's opening FIFA World Cup match against the Netherlands together with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, highlighting the close ties between the Japanese Imperial Family and the Dutch Royal Family.

Japan and the Netherlands played to a 2-2 draw in their opening Group F match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on June 14, with the Samurai Blue twice coming from behind to earn a valuable point against one of the tournament's traditional powers.

Police in Kyoto Prefecture are investigating a hit-and-run after a vehicle crashed into the Maizuru office of Liberal Democratic Party Lower House member Taro Honda late on June 13 before the driver fled the scene.

A fire broke out at a Buddhist temple in Obihiro, Hokkaido, on June 13th, sending flames soaring from the building and causing temporary alarm in a nearby residential neighborhood before being largely extinguished about two hours later.

The Japanese government on June 12th released new guidelines calling for women’s toilets to have at least as many fixtures as men’s toilets in public facilities, seeking to address the persistent problem of long queues at women’s restrooms in places such as train stations and event venues.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Travel NEWS

The YOSAKOI Soran Festival wrapped up its five-day run in Sapporo on June 14th, drawing 275 teams from across Japan and overseas as dancers in colorful costumes performed energetic routines with wooden naruko clappers throughout the city.

Each year from late April, rising water levels caused by melting mountain snow partially submerge lakeside trees at Lake Shusen in Semboku, Akita Prefecture, creating a seasonal landscape known as the flooded forest. The spectacle, highlighted by vibrant spring foliage emerging from the water, disappears by early June as the snowmelt season comes to an end.

A district once known nationwide for its concentration of day laborers and social challenges is undergoing a dramatic transformation, with new hotels, cafes and restaurants reshaping Osaka's Nishinari Ward as tourists, entrepreneurs and younger visitors increasingly flock to the area.

Kyoto welcomed a record 62.79 million visitors last year, an increase of more than 6.7 million from the previous year, according to the Kyoto city government, highlighting the continued recovery and expansion of the city's tourism industry.

Authorities in Kyoto Prefecture received another report of a bear sighting at the famous Amanohashidate sandbar on June 12th, just two days after a bear was captured in the area, prompting temporary road closures and heightened precautions for local residents and visitors.

Air travelers departing Japan for overseas destinations this summer will face record-high fuel surcharges after All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL) announced significant increases for international tickets purchased in July and August, driven by soaring fuel prices linked to tensions in the Middle East.

A rare white orca has been filmed off the coast of Rausu in Hokkaido's Shiretoko region, marking its first reported sighting in about two years.

A Tokyo-based company planning to open a new zoo using animals from North Safari Sapporo, which closed in 2025, has established a new company to take over the facility's animals and employees.