JR East and PASMO announced on November 25th that they will introduce a new mobile payment function called 'teppay' for their Suica and PASMO smartphone apps, enabling barcode and QR code payments as part of a broader expansion of their digital services. (News On Japan)

Gifu City has unveiled the design for an ultra-luxury viewing boat that will operate during cormorant-fishing cruises on the Nagara River, with construction scheduled to be completed by next season at a cost of roughly 28 million yen. (News On Japan)