Hitachi biometrics to authenticate payments at 100 Japanese stores

Hitachi and Tobu Railway will commence the rollout of its biometric authentication service in over 100 locations around Japan including FamilyMart, Joshin Denki, Solaria Stage in Fukuoka, Tokyo Skytree, and the Tobu Tojo Line’s “TJ Liner.”

To increase visibility, the service has been named “SAKULaLa,” and new mascots, “Sakurakko & Laragai,” have been introduced.

Announced last year, the platform lets users register information such as name, date of birth, credit card information, and company point card IDs, which is then linked to biometric information such as recognition from finger veins and faces.

Users will be able to pay and accumulate points at establishments like convenience stores, electronics retailers and shopping malls by verifying their identity through biometric data.

The service has already been introduced at pop-up stores on the first floor of Tokyo Solamachi, and will be available at the event space of Solaria Stage in Tenjin, Fukuoka, from September 26th. By November, Hitachi notes that the service will be available at around 20 restaurants and other locations in Koshigaya and Kawagoe in Saitama Prefecture.

Additionally, the system is set to be implemented at Tokyo Skytree’s official shop in 2024, two Joshin Denki stores in Osaka and on the Tobu Tojo Line’s “TJ Liner” in 2025, with a rollout to FamilyMart stores planned for 2026.

In addition to finger vein recognition, facial recognition capabilities will be added by 2025. Plans are also underway to integrate the system into railway ticket gates, to make the technology accessible to commuters.

Partners like JCB and DG Financial Technology will collaborate in expanding the service’s use. Tobu and Hitachi aim to further enhance the convenience and functionality of the service as part of a larger effort to build advanced digital infrastructure across Japan.

Article Topics

biometric authentication  |  biometrics  |  face biometrics  |  finger vein  |  Hitachi ID  |  Japan  |  vein biometrics