Sept. 6, 2018 Alipay recently announced it will collaborate with a wider range of local Japanese partners to build a cashless environment for tourists coming to Japan, in particular for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020, according to a press release. Alipay said the partnerships will enable the large number of visitors coming from China the chance to use Alipay while in Japan. In addition, efforts will continue to extend Alipay coverage throughout Japan as one of the most popular tourist destinations for travelers from China and other Asian countries. "Alipay is dedicated to enhancing user experience and creating value for small and micro businesses through technology," Eric Jing, executive chairman and CEO of Ant Financial, which owns Alipay, said in the press release. "The Tokyo Olympics and the hike in visitors that this will bring is a good target for us, to ensure that the Alipay platform is the bridge between inbound visitors and local merchants here in Japan." Topics: Mobile/Digital Wallet, In-App Payments, Retail, Restaurants
Alipay wants to create a cashless environment for Chinese tourists in Japan, particularly those attending the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The company is also looking at ways of making its service more convenient and affordable by offering discounts on some services such as hotel bookings or car rentals.