TOKYO
been extremely patchy while out and about in the capital.
However that appears to be changing. Teaming up with
rail and bus operators, plus certain tourist spots and
public facilities, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s
Free Wi-Fi & Tokyo (wifi-tokyo.jp) delivers connectivity
in an increasing number of locations around the city. It
still isn’t perfect but it is a move in the right direction.
Another app offering this service is Travel Japan
Wifi (japanfreewifi.com) from Wire and Wireless Co.
A recent partnership with f lag carrier Japan Airlines
( JAL) has also seen the launch of an upgraded version,
the JAL Explore Japan Wifi app, available for both
Android and Apple devices. With this app, travellers
can automatically connect to more than 200,000 wifi
hotspots operated by the company across Japan in public
areas such as airports, major train stations, restaurants
and key tourist locations. The app is specifically
designed to cater to foreigners – residents in Japan are
not even able to download the programme, and it’s
available in English, traditional and simplified Chinese,
Korean and Thai, while Japanese is not supported.
If, however, you want guaranteed data during your stay,
sort out pocket wifi when you arrive at Narita or Haneda
airport. Alternatively, a free SIM card courtesy of new
start-up Wamazing was rolled out in February 2017.
Foreigners can pre-register for the service and then pick
up their free SIM from vending machines at Tokyo Narita
airport. The SIM also comes with 500MB of data or usage
for five days – whichever you hit first. Additional data can
be bought through the Wamazing app (apps.wamazing.
jp), plus access to services such as hotel reservations,
taxi hailing or booking activities. So far the app is only
available in traditional Chinese, aimed at travellers from
Hong Kong and Taiwan, but Wamazing plans to offer
English, simplified Chinese and Korean in the future.FUTURE-TECH
Given Japan’s reputation for robotics, it comes as no
surprise that Tokyo is also turning to automatons to
help visitors. In November Tokyo’s governor, Yuriko
Koike, unveiled five multilingual robots at the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government Building as a test run
before the 2020 Games. The five – all of which can
communicate in Japanese and English, with some able
to use Chinese and Korean, too – will be in place until
February 2018 to see how well they can assist visitors
with such things as tourist information and directions.
Taking things even further into the future, you will
soon be able to pay for and access a range of services
with the tap of a finger. The new “Touch & Pay”
authentication system is part of the Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry’s efforts to promote biometric
identification services, and since October it is gradually
being rolled out at hotels and tourist sites across Tokyo. By
2020, it should allow travellers (after registering passport,
credit card and fingerprint data at the airport or a tourist
office) to check in, buy tickets, use lockers, and more
across Tokyo using finger scans or e-passport scans.OPPOSITE PAGE FROM
TOP:Tokyo Edition
Ginza; Moxy
Tokyo Kinshicho;
Hoshinoya Tokyo
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Multiple
smartphone
apps provide
easy access
to travel
information,
or simply ask
your friendly
neighbourhood
robot27businesstraveller.com JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018