23 cashless payment providers join Japan's My Number point program

Japan Times -- Feb 21

Twenty-three providers of cashless payment services have registered to participate in a government-led reward-point program for holders of My Number social security and tax identification cards, the internal affairs ministry said Wednesday.

Among the 23 firms and organizations are East Japan Railway Co., which manages the Suica e-money system, and PayPay Corp., the operator of a smartphone payment service.

The ministry will accept applications from cashless payment service providers until the end of March.

Under the state-funded program, which is set to start in September in a bid to boost consumption, registered My Number cardholders will be given points equivalent to 25 percent of the value of funds credited to e-money cards, and after making payments with smartphone apps that use quick response (QR) codes.