Over 70 million people in Japan own tap-and-go phones, and their use is on the rise. The country's rulers and other vested interests have pushed the new technology hard so a robust network is now in place. However, despite the availability of this technology, this is still a country that loves cash - and plastic cards, particularly the dreaded foreign visa/debit card, can be looked on askance.
So where better to set a challenge to test this new payments set-up? Could I get from one side of Japan to the other and survive, if not thrive, while packing no plastic or cash, just my trusty keitai mobile?
The first test is a taxi to the railway station. This was easy, as most of Japan's cabbies carry an e-wallet reader and require no tip. Ditto the station, where an Oyster-like system has been operating for years on all Tokyo trains. I just swiftly pass my glossy, AU smartphone over the gate as I go. (telegraph.co.uk)
Over 70 million people in Japan own tap-and-go phones, and their use is on the rise. The country's rulers and other vested interests have pushed the new technology hard so a robust network is now in place. However, despite the availability of this technology, this is still a country that loves cash - and plastic cards, particularly the dreaded foreign visa/debit card, can be looked on askance.
So where better to set a challenge to test this new payments set-up? Could I get from one side of Japan to the other and survive, if not thrive, while packing no plastic or cash, just my trusty keitai mobile?
The first test is a taxi to the railway station. This was easy, as most of Japan's cabbies carry an e-wallet reader and require no tip. Ditto the station, where an Oyster-like system has been operating for years on all Tokyo trains. I just swiftly pass my glossy, AU smartphone over the gate as I go. (telegraph.co.uk)