Google Wallet has launched in Japan, enabling users to store and use their credit, debit, transit and loyalty cards, boarding passes, tickets and other digital credentials on their Android NFC smartphone or Wear OS smartwatch.

Google has added Japan to its list of countries where Google Wallet can be used and says that the service will be “rolled out gradually over the next few weeks”.

“The Google Pay app will automatically update to Google Wallet on the device it becomes available to if auto-update is turned on,” Google says in a blog post on its Japanese website.

“If you have existing electronic money, transportation IC cards (Suica/Pasmo), credit cards, and debit cards stored in Google Pay, they will be automatically transferred to Google Wallet.

“If it is not saved or if you want to add a new card to Wallet, you can easily add it by tapping Add to Wallet at the bottom right of the home screen of the Google Wallet app and entering the required information.”

Google Wallet began rolling out in 39 countries in July 2022, was extended to a further six in August 2022 and went live in Malaysia in November that same year and in Costa Rica in March this year.

• NFCW maintains a list of major OEM Pay systems and the territories where they are live and available for public use.

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