JCB will analyze traffic patterns and payment data of international visitors to Japan by providing information on shopping, drinking, eating, and special offer services and by giving visitors a card type coupon, JCB PREMO, with a value of 1,000 yen in order to promote purchases.

It is important for Japan to have a way to understand the different needs of international visitors and provide optimized information in order to increase visitor satisfaction and promote sightseeing and shopping during their stay. In this demonstration experiment, various types of information such as shopping, special offers merchants, and sightseeing is delivered to smartphone app users in several languages and by location.

JCB PREMO, a card type coupon, is provided as a gift to customers who use the app. JCB will analyze attribute data entered by users, app log data, location information and JCB PREMO payment history.

Kenji Yamauchi, Executive Vice President, Domestic Acquiring Business of JCB said, "We aim to improve providing information to international visitors by checking how effective it is for marketing and enhancing the smartphone app and analysis technology. We will continue to do demonstration experiments in more areas as well as aim to contribute to regional activation as a solution to bring more customers to destinations outside the Tokyo metro area."

Overview of the demonstration experiment

1. Tokyo

Period: 1 to 20 February 2016
Tools: JCB PREMO and Japan Travel Guide*
Target: 500 visitors
Description:
-- Establish a special desk at Keio Plaza Hotel and do a campaign for downloading Japan Travel Guide.
-- JCB PREMO, a card type coupon that has a value of 1,000 yen, is provided as a gift to customers who use the app.
-- The customer can top up JCB PREMO at Lawson, a chain of convenience stores.
-- Japanese traditional products and pass tickets for museums and art galleries in Tokyo are given to international travelers to Japan at different timing during the experiment in order to verify changes in their actions.
* Japan Travel Guide: An app for sightseeing operated by JTB Group and NTT Group for international visitors to Japan.

2. Hokkaido

Period: 1 to 29 February 2016
Tools: JCB PREMO and Japan Shopping Navi**
Target: 3,000 visitors
Description:
-- Travel agencies in Taiwan, Thailand, China, and other countries give written announcements of this demonstration experiment to customers who use New Chitose Airport, Hokkaido during the demonstration experiment period.
-- JCB PREMO, a card type coupon, is handed over to the customers at the airport desk.
-- When the customers enable JCB PREMO, they get a value of 1,000 yen free.
-- The customers can top up JCB PREMO at Lawson.
** "Japan Shopping Navi" is an app for shopping information provided by JSTO