Apple has announced that it is to launch its contactless Apple Pay system in Japan. From October this year, the digital wallet will work with Japan's Suica prepaid e-money cards, which Apple says means users can purchase “everything in their daily routines”. Japanese consumers have had access to contactless payment systems for over ten years, leading to some users reportedly not even taking their wallets with them when they leave the house. The introduction of Apple Pay to the country is expected to drive up sales of the new iPhone 7. Being late to adopt the technology is not expected to cause major problems for Apple. Jack Kent, from market research firm IHS Technology, says that because Japan “already has a mature mobile payments industry”, Apple should be able to adapt the service quickly to fit the existing infrastructure.Â
