Passengers Confused As Kumamoto Transportation Firms Scrap IC Cards

Passengers in Kumamoto Prefecture, western Japan, expressed confusion as five local bus and train operators stopped accepting nationwide IC cards such as JR East's "Suica," Atsushige Nakamura reported for Mainichi Japan.

Until a planned replacement system using credit cards launches in March 2025, passengers can only use cash or the regional "Kumamon no IC Card" for fares.

This marks the first withdrawal from the national transportation IC card system.

The five companies—Kyushu Sanko Bus, Sanko Bus, Kumamoto Electric Railway, Kumamoto Bus, and Kumamoto Toshi Bus—introduced nationwide IC cards in 2016 but decided to discontinue them due to the high costs of upgrading payment devices.

Until a planned replacement system using credit cards launches in March 2025, passengers can only use cash or the regional "Kumamon no IC Card" for fares.

A 55-year-old commuter in Kumamoto City lamented the inconvenience, saying, "I often transfer to JR lines that accept nationwide IC cards. I’ve made a Kumamon IC Card, but using two different cards every time is bothersome. I understand the renewal cost is high, though."

Notices about the change were posted at Sakuramachi Bus Terminal, but many passengers remain frustrated by the lack of integration with the broader system.