India’s Aadhaar-based UPI payment platform allures Japan

Japan and India plan to take their digital cooperation to a new level with the former confessing a strong attraction to be part of the latter’s Universal Payment Interface (UPI) platform which is based on the Aadhaar digital ID.

According to WION, Japan’s Digital Minister Kono Taro said recently that his country is “serious about joining India’s UPI payment system”, describing it as a very “convenient system of payment” which can enhance payment interoperability among government entities.

The UPI is part of what is generally referred to as India’s ‘digital stack’, a combination of the country’s digital public infrastructure architecture.

The Japanese Minister, who also spoke to WOIN about plans to adopt a digital ID as part of the interoperability plan, equally praised India’s digital transformation and its pioneering efforts in the domain.

Taro also addressed other digital technology issues including the proliferation of artificial intelligence systems as well as the risks some of them come with such as the ability to spread fake news.

While noting that plans are underway by the G7 for a forum to be set up on watching and regulating how AI systems roll out, Taro urged global leaders to find common ground on how to check the phenomenon of fake information being peddled using AI-powered applications.

“Among democratic countries, AI is a great opportunity, but it carries some risks. We are worried about its influence on democracy. The global leaders need to come together and think how to regulate and curb fake news which is spread using AI tech,” said Taro as quoted by WOIN.

The expression of Japan’s desire to join India’s UPI system comes not long after the India concluded a deal with seven countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) for the adoption of its model of building and deploying digital public infrastructure.

Article Topics

Aadhaar  |  digital ID  |  digital stack  |  India  |  Japan  |  Unified Payments Interface - UPI