Taspo

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The correct title of this article is taspo. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.

taspo, the Tobacco Card (たばこカード, tabako kado^?), is a smart card being developed by the Tobacco Institute of Japan (TIOJ), the nationwide association of tobacco retailers (Zenkoku Tabako Hanbai Kyōdō Kumiai Rengōkai), and the Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association for introduction in 2008. Following its introduction, the card will be necessary in order to purchase cigarettes from vending machines in Japan.

The group announced plans for development of the Tobacco Card in 2001. The goal is to reduce smoking by underaged people. Testing began the following year, and a second round of testing followed in 2004.

Details of the card were disclosed in 2005. The card will incorporate an integrated circuit that contains information about the age of the holder. Sales of cards will be restricted so that only adults may purchase the cards. The cards will be contactless, so that vending machines will be able to read them without contact. The cards will be able to store value, giving purchasers the option to pay by card or by cash.

Consumers will be able to purchase cards, and to add value, either in person from an attendant at a tobacco retailer, or by mail from the TIOJ. Cardholders will have the capability of cancelling lost or stolen cards online. To purchase a card, one must present identification, such as a driver's license or a health-insurance card.