Suica
| Location | Kantō region, Sendai area, Niigata area |
|---|---|
| Launched | April 8 - July 8, 2001: piloted at 57 stations; November 18, 2001, official launch at 424 stations |
| Manager | JR East |
| Currency | Japanese yen (¥20,000 maximum load) |
| Stored-value | Pay as you go |
| Credit expiry | 10 years after last use. |
| Validity |
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| Retailed |
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| Website | http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass/suica.html |
Suica (スイカ Suika?) is a rechargeable contactless smart card, electronic money used as a fare card on train lines in Japan. Launched in November 18, 2001, it is usable currently in the Kantō region, at JR East stations near Sendai and Niigata. The card can also be used interchangeably with JR West's ICOCA in the Kansai region and San'yō region in Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi Prefectures, and also with JR Central's TOICA starting from spring of 2008,JR Kyushu's SUGOCA, Nishitetsu's Nimoca, and Fukuoka City Subway's Hayakaken area in Fukuoka City and its suburb areas, starting from spring of 2010. The card is also increasingly being accepted as a form of electronic money for purchases at stores and kiosks, especially within train stations. As of October 2009, 30.01 million Suica are in circulation.
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