JR East announced today (June 2, 2023) that due to a global semiconductor shortage, the Japanese transportation cards “Suica” and “PASMO” are unable to secure an adequate supply of IC chips. As a result, JR East has decided to temporarily suspend the sale of unregistered Suica and PASMO cards starting from June 8, 2023 (Thursday).
Starting from August 2, 2023, both Registered Suica and Registered Pasmo will also be discontinued for sale, with no set date for resumption.
Welcome Suica, the red-colored card exclusively for travelers visiting Japan, will have purchase restrictions from August 2, 2023, regarding purchase locations and quantity limits.
Dedicated machines for Welcome Suica at Narita Airport Station, Airport Terminal 2 Station, and Haneda Airport Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 Stations.
【Welcome Suica Purchase Restriction】Limited to 1 card per person.
Travelers can choose to purchase ICOCA within the Kansai region or opt for Welcome Suica.
Suspension Period: Starting from June 8, 2023 (Thursday), with no specified date for resumption.
Suspended Products: Unregistered “Suica,” “モノレールSuica (Monorail Suica),” “りんかいSuica (Rinkai Suica),” and “PASMO.”
Registered transportation cards, commuter passes, and reissuance services for lost cards will continue to be available. In addition, the “WelcomeSuica” and “PASMO PASSPORT” specifically designed for short-term foreign visitors to Japan will also continue to be sold. Starting from June 8, the “PASMO PASSPORT” will temporarily waive the ¥500 issuance fee.
Furthermore, mobile services such as Mobile Suica and Mobile Pasmo on smartphones will not be affected and are recommended for use.
There is currently no news of the suspension of ICOCA, the IC card for the Kansai region.
JR東日本：無記名の「Suica」・「PASMO」カード発売の一時中止に関するお知らせ
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