Since major electronic money services emerged in 2001, it has become common in Tokyo for people to go through ticket gates by just touching a smart card to electronic readers at train stations and to make small purchases without pulling out their wallets at convenience stores. Japan's cash-based tradition is changing. Following are some basic facts about e-money:
What is e-money?
Integrated circuit chips are embedded in smart cards as well as in mobile phones that have the e-wallet ("osaihu keitai") function, allowing customers to pay electronically.