NEC facial recognition used to prevent concert ticket scalping in Japan

A popular music group in Japan is using NEC’s facial recognition device to prevent people from scalping tickets to their concerts, according to a report by The Japan Times.

Tapirs, operators of Momoiro Clover Z’s concerts, introduced the technology to cut down on scalping.

The venue’s staff would initially check each attendee’s ID, but this proved to be too time-consuming and would create long queues.

The facial recognition system prevents concert tickets from being resold and greatly reduces wait times for fans to gain entry into the venue.

So far, only members of the group’s fan club are allowed to use the system. Members can enroll in the system by uploading their photo ahead of time to a membership card equipped with an integrated circuit.

Once fans pay for a ticket, they simply show their card at the venue’s entrance to be admitted.

The technology — which is also being tested for use at Narita airport — ensures that only identifiable people become regular concertgoers, said Takaaki Tomisawa, an executive at Tapirs.

“It’ll be effective in society in future, including as a way to prevent terrorism,” Tomisawa said.

Previously reported, the Japanese government is implementing the use of a facial recognition system at airports to strengthen its ability to catch terrorists and identify criminals or undesirables trying to sneak into the country.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  identity verification  |  Japan  |  NEC