While wide-area usage between railway companies remains an issue, JR Tokai President Shunsuke Niwa commented at a press conference that he is exploring ways to realize cross-border usage with other companies. We will summarize and tell you about the current issues, including what kind of issues we are facing.
Eliminate unsupported sections at boundaries. Improve wide-area riding and freedom by integrating Suica areas.
JR East has an area integration plan for its transportation IC card "Suica," and plans to consolidate the Suica usage area, which is currently divided into six areas: the Tokyo metropolitan area, Sendai, Niigata, Akita, Morioka, and Aomori, into one by the end of 2026.
In the conventional ticket gate system, sections were set up at the boundaries of each area where IC cards could not be used, making it impossible for users to board a train across areas. For this reason, it is necessary to purchase a paper ticket in advance when passing through the border area, which is inconvenient for travelers and users who often move around.
By integrating the areas, the unsupported sections that served as buffer zones will be eliminated, and passengers will be able to move seamlessly through the ticket gates within the same area. Under JR East's concept, it would be possible to travel from Yumoto Station on the Joban Line in the Tokyo metropolitan area to Sendai Station on the Tohoku Main Line in the Sendai area on conventional lines without having to exit the ticket gates along the way.
Restrictions on riding distance are also attracting attention. In principle, JR West's ``ICOCA'' has a travel distance limit of 200 km. In response, JR East has announced that it will not impose any travel distance restrictions when consolidating Suica areas. This allows users to freely travel between stations within the integrated area without worrying about distance.
However, the specific rules for calculating fares and the handling of the metropolitan area system will be announced as soon as they are decided, including changes to IC card ticket handling rules and passenger business rules.
Issues with transportation IC cards that cross company boundaries
On the other hand, there are still technical and operational barriers to using IC cards across different railway companies.
Currently, interoperability between the Suica area and the PASMO area in the Tokyo metropolitan area has been realized. However, with respect to JR Tokai's TOICA area, prepaid SF balances cannot be used across areas, except for use within the valid section of the commuter pass. As a result, passengers who cross company boundaries such as Atami Station are unable to pass through the automatic ticket gates, resulting in long lines forming to pay at the station's manned ticket counters.There is a strong need for improvements to alleviate congestion.
JR East also recognizes this situation as an issue and is looking for a solution, such as using a system that centralizes fare calculations on a central server, but there are currently no concrete plans. Under these circumstances, JR East's President Kise has been attracting attention after he mentioned calling for other companies to integrate their systems.
``Studying'' about ``cross-use'' -- issues of system integration and intercompany collaboration
At a regular press conference held on September 25, 2026, JR Tokai President Niwa revealed the company's stance regarding the cross-area use of transportation IC cards and system integration. At the press conference, following the presentation of measures to improve Shinkansen service, he answered questions regarding the wide-area use of IC cards during the Q&A session.
Regarding cross-company use, Mr. Niwa said, ``In order to realize cross-company use, it is necessary to calculate fares that include other companies' routes and create a system for fare settlement between companies, which poses many challenges.If we can make cross-area use possible, we would like to make it possible.We are currently studying whether there is anything we can do.''He indicated that he is considering making this a reality.
Regarding system integration, Mr. Niwa explained, ``I have not heard anything specific from JR East, so I cannot give an answer at this point, but we have a common goal of improving user convenience, so I would like to continue to closely coordinate information between the companies.''
JR Tokai is currently working on replacing automatic ticket gates and simple IC ticket gates that are compatible with TOICA at conventional line stations. Future progress in collaboration and discussions between railway operators will be watched closely to improve user convenience.
