Suica

Suica (スイカ, Suika?) is a rechargeable contactless smart card used as a fare card on train lines in Japan. Launched in November 18, 2001, the card 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 card 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 cards are in circulation.