Suica Renaissance

JR East will progressively upgrade Suica's functionality over the next 10 years, transforming it into a digital platform as part of its mid-to-long-term business growth strategy, "Beyond the Border." Suica will evolve from a simple "travel device" to a "lifestyle device", seamlessly integrated into various aspects of its customers' lives, extending beyond transportation and payments.

Around autumn 2026, JR East will introduce new payment experiences like code payments through the Mobile Suica app. By fiscal 2028, the company aims to provide personalized discounts, coupons, and other convenient travel experiences. Within the next 10 years, JR East envisions a seamless and convenient service where tickets and stored fare (SF) values are managed on a central server.

Suica will become a universal "lifestyle device" accessible to all generations, creating new standards and delivering personalized value (life value) to enrich our customers' lives.

1. Beyond the Expected from Suica

JR East is moving beyond the current Suica experience. Starting with the release of the "Suica App", the company will progressively develop personalized railway services and various payment functions, creating new experiences and providing DX solutions for essential aspects of daily life, such as travel, payments, and community engagement.

• Enriching Local Communities through Information Utilization
  • Convenient administrative applications and benefit receipts through My Number Card integration
  • Constant family monitoring
  • Receiving regional value through local transportation operators (demand buses, ride-sharing, etc.)
  • Touchless walk-through ticket gates
• Enriching Urban and Rural Areas through Human Mobility
  • JR East network-wide access with location-based services
  • Regional revitalization through regionally limited value
• Enriching Local Economies through Value Circulation
  • Post-payment options for purchases over 20,000 yen
  • Expressing gratitude through electronic money transfers between individuals

2. Beyond the Current Limitations

Suica is evolving beyond its current limitations. JR East will gradually transition to a new platform-based system, "Central Server Management", where ticket and SF values are managed on a central server.

• Beyond Fixed Transportation Usage: Moving beyond the standard of commuter passes and SF, a new "Suica App" will offer centrally managed railway tickets by fiscal 2028. This includes subscription services with discounts based on usage, commemorative day coupons, and rewards linked to station building purchases.
• Beyond Touching Ticket Gates: Moving beyond the need to touch ticket gates, JR East is developing "walk-through gates" and "location-based ticketing" for stations without gates.
• Beyond Suica Area Limitations: Expanding beyond current area limitations, Suica areas (including Nagano, Sendai, Niigata, Morioka, Aomori, and Akita) will be integrated around spring 2027. "Smartphone Commuter Passes" will be available via the Mobile Suica app in non-Suica areas. Eventually, location-based ticketing will enable Suica usage across the entire JR East network.
• Beyond Pre-Charging: Moving beyond the need to pre-charge, a "post-payment" function linked to credit cards or bank accounts will be implemented.
• Beyond Small-Value Payments: Expanding beyond small-value payments, the renewed Mobile Suica app (Autumn 2026) will include code payments for larger purchases, value transfer functionality, coupons, and regional value issuance.

3. Creating New Standards

• Creating Locally Rooted Suica: Expanding the current MaaS model through regional IC card integration, JR East will create localized "Local Suica" services offering region-specific content, services, and benefits.
• Creating Suica Deeply Integrated into Customer Lives: Utilizing Suica usage data, JR East will provide personalized "hospitality" and "care" services, such as automated taxi arrangements, pre-heated baths, and personalized meal recommendations.
• Creating Seamless Suica for International Visitors: Launching "Welcome Suica Mobile (iOS)" in March 2025 for international visitors, enabling pre-arrival app download, SF charging, and seamless travel. JR East Shinkansen e-tickets, limited express ticketless services, and Green Car ticketing will be integrated into the app by 2026. Eventually, walk-through gates and network-wide Suica usage will become standard for international visitors.

4. Providing Suica Services to Other Transportation Operators

Following the launch of the Tokyo Monorail commuter pass on Mobile Suica (November 2024), JR East will expand to other operators and student commuter passes by Spring 2026. They are building a sustainable transportation IC card system through a shared central server platform, reducing costs for other operators and providing flexible services. These Suica services will be integrated into TOD and smart city development, with plans for expansion into overseas markets.

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