Japan About to Issue Smart Vending Cards

Source from:  tr.itsmyiq.com Nov 30, 2007 12/03/2007

From tomorrow, the Tobacco Institute of Japan (TIJ) will begin accepting applications for 'taspo' cards, which, in the future, will be needed to access cigarette vending machines, according to an announcement by Japan Tobacco Inc. (JT). Initially, the cards will be issued only to residents in the Miyazaki, Kagoshima and Kanagawa prefectures, where vending machines incorporating the taspo adult identification technology will be trialed from March next year. In November 2001, the TIJ, the Japan Tobacconist Federation (JTF) and the Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers' Association (JVMA) agreed to co-operate in the development and implementation of this technology, which they intend to introduce throughout Japan's cigarette vending machines by July next year. The new technology is being brought in as part of an industry-wide initiative aimed at tackling underage smoking, so those applying for the taspo cards will be required to provide age and identity verification through the production of a valid identity card issued by an official, public institution. As well as providing age validation, the taspo cards are used as payment cards, which can be topped up at vending machines. They incorporate anti-counterfeit technology and include a picture of the cardholder to help prevent misuse. Cards reported lost or stolen will be invalidated. There were about 565,000 cigarette vending machines in Japan in 2006. Enditem