, which means "Wallet Mobile", is the standard mobile payment system in Japan. Osaifu-Keitai services include electronic money, identity card, loyalty card, fare collection of public transits (including railways, buses, and airplanes), or credit card. The term "Osaifu-Keitai" itself is a registered trademark of NTT Docomo.
The system was developed by NTT Docomo who released it to the public in 2004 but the system is also supported by other mobile phone operators. It uses Sony's Mobile FeliCa ICs.
Operators NTT docomo Group: i-mode FeliCa KDDI (au/Okinawa Cellular): EZ FeliCa SoftBank Mobile: S! FeliCa Willcom: WILLCOM IC Service
Advantages FeliCa, developed by Sony, is the standard technology used for Japanese smart cards. Many of these cards accept Osaifu-Keitai (Mobile FeliCa) system as well, or plan to accept it in the future. Osaifu-Keitai can provide more convenient services than plastic FeliCa cards. For instance, it can automatically recharge itself via the Internet, or provide the latest information. It can also be used as a ticket for an airplane or an event, by downloading an electronic ticket. Unlike plastic cards, a single Osaifu-Keitai phone may accept multiple applications, each equivalent to different cards.
Disadvantages Osaifu-Keitai provides many functions on a single mobile phone. Therefore, there is a great risk if the phone is lost, broken, or stolen. Osaifu-Keitai basically functions even without radio transmissions, so the applications can not be terminated just by closing a phone account. A user has to contact each service provider to stop all the functions. There are some phones that can lock the functions via a phone call or an E-mail.
Since Osaifu-Keitai can function as identity card (such as member card, company card, or keycard), there is also a risk for those who authenticate it.
Services Name Provider Function Introduction NTT DoCoMo au SoftBank Edy Rakuten Edy Electronic money July 10, 2004 September 9, 2005 November 11, 2005 ANA Mobile AMC Appli All Nippon Airways Member card, airplane ticket July 10, 2004 September 9, 2005 November 11, 2005 club ap Appli ampm Member card July 10, 2004 Works as a card without application eLIO Mobile Service Sony Finance Credit card July 10, 2004 December, 2005 － Sega Mobile Friends Sega Member card July 10, 2004 September 15, 2005 November 11, 2005 Bic Point Kinō-tsuki Kētai (Bic Point Function Mobile) Bic Camera Member card July 10, 2004 January 12, 2006 January 18, 2006 vit Appli TŌHŌ Cinemas Event ticket July 10, 2004 － － Mobile J-WAVE PASS J-Wave Event ticket July 10, 2004 － － club DAM MEMBERS Appli Daiichikōshō Member card July 10, 2004 － － JAL IC Service Japan Airlines Member card, airplane ticket January 11, 2005 － － Gold Point Card Yodobashi Camera Member card August 30, 2004 September 9, 2005 November 11, 2005 Matsukiyo Point Appli Matsumoto Kiyoshi Member card September 4, 2004 March 23, 2006 December 2, 2006 Cmode (Shīmo2) Coca-Cola (Japan) Electronic money September 24, 2004 November 30, 2006 April 2, 2007 GEO Mobile Member Card GEO Member card November 15, 2004 October 14, 2005 November 16, 2005 Kazapon FeliCa Networks Information download November 15, 2004 Accepts － kesaka Service KESAKA System Keycard November 22, 2004 － May, 2006 Smartplus (VISA TOUCH) Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS Credit card December 22, 2004 September 15, 2005 February 1, 2006 FeliCa Pocket Mobile Sony Member card Accepts － － Toku Toku Pocket NEC Member card April 1, 2005 October, 2005 February 15, 2006 QUICPay Mobile Japan Credit Bureau Credit card April 4, 2005 September 9, 2005 February 15, 2006 Edy Charge Appli eBank Electronic money May 15, 2005 October 17, 2005 Accepts Plus Mobile for Edy-Style CYBIRD Member card June 6, 2005 Accepts － TOWNPOCKET Techfirm Member card August 8, 2005 September, 2005 November 11, 2005 Mobile e-card Iyo Railway Public fare collection August 23, 2005 － － Hawks IC Ticket Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Marketing Event ticket August 29, 2005 － March 29, 2006 ToruCa NTT DoCoMo Coupon ticket November 11, 2005 － － iD NTT DoCoMo Credit card December 1, 2005 － － Mobile Nagasaki Smart Card Public transit operators in Nagasaki Public fare collection December 12, 2005 － － Mobile Suica East Japan Railway Company Public fare collection, electronic money January 28, 2006 January 28, 2006 December 2, 2006 Mobile NicoPa Shinki Bus Public fare collection February 1, 2006 － － Okudake Ninshō BIGLOBE User authentication February 27, 2006 February 27, 2006 February 27, 2006 MoCoCa NTT Business Associe Keycard March 8, 2006 － － χsmart NTT Telecon Office authentication April 1, 2006 － － WonderGOO Mobile Member Card WonderCorporation Member card Accepts Accepts Accepts au Kētai Coupon KDDI Coupon ticket － January 16, 2007 － nanaco Mobile Seven & I Holdings Electronic money April 10, 2007 April 12, 2007 September 12, 2007 Gurunavi Touch Gourmet Navigator (Gurunavi) Coupon ticket September 3, 2007 September 3, 2007 September 3, 2007Mobile WAON Aeon Electronic money November 5, 2007 March 1, 2008 March 1, 2008Tacchanipoca Coupon ticket February 1, 2008 February 1, 2008 February 1, 2008 McDonald'sTHE JVCoupon ticket May 1, 2008 May 1, 2008 May 1, 2008 Kazashite stampLarge hillMember card June 23, 2008 June 1, 2009 April 1, 2009 Rakuten appRakutenMember cardJuly 8, 2008 July 8, 2008July 8, 2008T Point appCCCMember card October 14, 2008 February 5, 2009 February 2, 2009Touch SuiteLady bugMember cardMarch 25, 2009March 25, 2009March 25, 2009Moba hanKanko maruMember cardMarch 1, 2010March 1, 2010March 1, 2010e-AMUSEMENT Konami User authenticationNovember 11, 2010November 11, 2010November 11, 2010LawsonMember cardJuly 15, 2011July 15, 2011July 15, 2011Mobile Starbucks cardStarbucks coffee JapanElectronic moneyMarch 26, 2014March 26, 2014March 26, 2014
See also Mobile payment Electronic money FeliCa
References
External links Osaifu-Keitai from NTT DoCoMo official website EZ FeliCa from au official website S! FeliCa from SoftBank Mobile official website WILLCOM IC Service from WILLCOM official website FeliCa from Sony official website