The smart card has a great potential to change current practices in
the payment industry. There is a particularly great need to introduce
a new payment solution for the small amount payments that occur so
often in our daily life. The smart card can provide the convenience
and security that makes card payment a preferred alternative to cash.
A contact interface provides superior protection against fraud, a
highly secure environment for storing e-value, while a contactless
interface maximizes payment transaction speed in a wide variety of
applications.
JCB has already implemented the e-purse function in several projects
since 2000, while postpayment of small amounts is also a growing market.
For example, the new JCB employee card will include a postpaid function
for the company's vending machines and cafeteria. In addition, JCB
provides postpayment services of transportation fares in the Sapporo
pilot project for the city's subway system.