The government will launch a smartphone-based rewards program in 2020 using the national My Number ID cards as part of measures to ease the impact of the consumption tax hike next month, sources close to the matter said.
The government is considering providing ¥5,000 worth of points to spend at stores across Japan to consumers who deposit ¥20,000 into their smartphone payment accounts, starting in October next year, the sources said Sunday.
There will be no income restriction on applicants to the program, and details will be disclosed soon at a Cabinet meeting on promoting digitization of public administration.