OKICA

OKICA (オキカ), short for "Okinawa IC Card", is a contactless smart card used for public transport in Okinawa.

Overview
OKICA was the first contactless public transportation card introduced in Okinawa Prefecture. The card is maintained and administered by Okinawa IC Card Co., Ltd., a public corporation created for the purpose of overseeing the card's use. OKICA sold over 130,000 units during its introductory year and a half. There is a utilization goal (on Yui Rail) of 60% by 2024. The card expires after a period of 10 years without use.

Usage
OKICA is used by the Okinawa Urban Monorail (Yui Rail) and four major bus operators across the main island of Okinawa (Ryukyu Bus Kotsu, Okinawa Bus, Naha Bus, and Toyo Bus). It was introduced on October 20, 2014 for Yui Rail, and simultaneously introduced for all four bus companies on April 27, 2015.

While the aforementioned public transport systems support the use of Japan's ten major IC cards (such as Suica or SUGOCA) since March 10, 2020, OKICA cannot be used outside Okinawa Prefecture. OKICA also cannot be currently used for other transport services such as taxis or ferries, but feasibility studies have been conducted.