Using credit cards to tap and ride trains in the Kanto area centered on Tokyo has become more convenient.

Eleven railway companies serving the region made credit card tap payment interoperable starting March 25.

Before this, only some of the operators had enabled contactless payment using credit cards at ticket gates.

That meant passengers had to make separate fare adjustments when they travel onto another company's line on through-service trains.

Passengers tapping their credit card to pay the train fare can now ride through to stations of other operators without additional procedures, using the system seamlessly in a manner similar to Japan-specific transportation IC cards like Suica and Pasmo.