This partnership will allow the large number of visitors coming from China to enjoy easy payment methods that they are familiar with and provide business opportunities for local merchants in Japan. In addition, Alipay coverage will be extended throughout Japan as a popular tourist destinations for travelers from China and other Asian countries.
Alipay, which currently has over 700 million active users in China, was introduced to Japan to provide services to Chinese visitors at local merchants in December 2015 and is currently available in all 47 prefectures across the country. It is available in a wide range of outlets to support tourism including airports, department stores, restaurants and popular attractions.
The number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan continues to increase year on year. Close to 7.35 million people visited Japan in 2017 with a y-o-y growth rate of 15.4%, and the inbound consumption from this group reached JPY 1.6 trillion (USD 14.3 billion).
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