Japan to introduce cashless traffic fine payments from July '27

The system will be rolled out nationwide in phases. The agency will solicit bids for a contractor to handle payment processing and system operations and select one by the end of the year at the earliest.

Fines are currently payable only at bank or post office counters, which are unavailable outside business hours. The agency has been considering the introduction of cashless payments to improve convenience for offenders and ease the burden on financial institutions as the government promotes the digitalization of administrative procedures.

Under the planned system, traffic violation notices, known as blue tickets, will carry quick response, or QR, codes that link users to a payment website when scanned with a smartphone or other device.

Offenders will enter information written by hand on the notices, including the amount due, select a payment method and complete the transaction. They will receive confirmation by email or other means.

Payment options are expected to include cashless payment apps, convenience store payment services and internet banking. Offenders will pay a processing fee of several hundred yen per transaction.

In-person payments at bank and post office counters, which carry no fee, will remain available.