After SUICA (Suica Card) and PASMO were successively added to Apple Wallet in digital form and used with the iPhone's built-in NFC function for ride deductions and small payments, the main coin used in Kansai, JapanICOCA Transportation Card, which is now also available digitally on iPhone.
ICOCA works just like SUICA and PASMO. You can add a new digital card directly to the Apple Wallet service on iOS 16 and later, as well as iPhone 8 and later models. If you already have a physical card, you can also transfer the balance to the digital card via NFC. The physical card will also be invalidated after the transfer.
As for how to use it, it is the same as a physical ICOCA card, and deductions can be made through contactless payment. As for the stored value method, not only can you add value directly on your mobile phone by binding a debit card through Apple Pay, but you can also add value directly at ticket machines in Japanese stations or domestic convenience stores in cash.
However, if the user has already added a digital SUICA card to the iPhone, there is actually no need to add an ICOCA card. This is because based on the current support range, the SUICA card still has the greatest advantage, and the ICOCA card is mainly used in Kansai areas such as Osaka and Kyoto.
As for Android device support, ICOCA cards, like other cards, also support use in Google Wallet. However, due to NFC hardware specifications, they are currently only available on Android phones sold in Japan. Unlike iPhone models, which use the same specifications, even if you purchase the model in Taiwan or other regions outside of Japan, you can still add digital cards such as SUICA to your Apple Wallet.
