일본의 POS 결제 시장 규모는 2025-2032년의 예측 기간 동안 6.08%의 연평균 복합 성장률(CAGR)로 확대되어 2024년 72억 8,000만 달러에서 2032년 116억 7,000만 달러로 성장할 것으로 예상됩니다. 일본의 소매 환경에서는 전통적인 오프라인 매장의 존재감이 두드러집니다. 이러한 오프라인 매장은 일본 문화에 필수적인 요소로, 많은 소비자들이 선호하는 체험형 쇼핑 경험을 제공합니다. 이러한 경향은 특히 일용품과 같은 비내구재 구매에서 두드러지게 나타나며, 소비자들은 구매 전에 제품을 직접 보고, 만져보고, 시험해 볼 수 있는 기회를 중요하게 여깁니다. 공급업체들은 지속적으로 스마트폰을 활용한 QR 코드 기반 거래를 통한 모바일 결제 도입을 지원해 왔습니다. 또한, 생태계의 다양한 분야에서 발전을 볼 수 있습니다. 일본에서는 정부가 생체인식 인프라를 구축하고 EMV 기반 비접촉식 결제(일반적으로 NFC Pay로 알려져 있음)의 도입이 증가하고 있습니다. 이러한 예측 동향은 일본 전역에 POS 단말기 도입을 촉진하는 필수적인 원동력으로 작용할 것입니다.
POS 단말기의 현대적인 디자인은 설치, 배치, 유지 보수 및 사용 시 전력 소비 비용을 낮추어 총 소유 비용을 절감할 수 있습니다. 대부분공급업체는 모듈 식 POS 단말기를 제공합니다. 따라서 터치스크린 디스플레이 및 에너지 효율적인 설계와 같은 기능을 통해 총소유비용을 절감할 수 있습니다.
경제산업부에 따르면, 전자상거래는 현재 전체 소매 매출의 약 10%를 차지하고 있으며, 그 대부분은 도시 밀집도, 급속한 기술 발전, 소비자 취향의 변화에 힘입어 성장하고 있습니다. 그러나 이커머스가 성장하더라도 오프라인 매장의 역할은 계속 유지될 것으로 보입니다. 특히 매장 방문이 구매 결정으로 이어지는 경험의 주요 부분을 차지하는 산업에서는 더욱 그렇다. 이러한 양면성은 전통적인 소매업과 온라인 소매업이 공존하고 서로를 보완하는 독특한 소매 환경을 조성하고 있습니다. 이러한 역동적인 환경에서 효율성과 통합성, 고객 중심의 쇼핑 경험은 POS 단말기의 도움을 받는 것이 가장 중요한 이유입니다.
본 보고서는 일본의 POS 결제 시장에 대해 조사했으며, 시장 개요와 함께 구성요소별/단말기 유형별/운영체제별/최종사용자별/지역별 동향, 시장 진출기업 프로파일 등의 정보를 제공합니다.
Japan POS payment market is projected to witness a CAGR of 6.08% during the forecast period FY2025-FY2032, growing from USD 7.28 billion in FY2024 to USD 11.67 billion in FY2032. A robust presence of traditional brick-and-mortar shops notably marks the retail environment in Japan. These physical stores are an integral part of Japanese culture, providing a hands-on and engaging shopping experience that many consumers favor. This inclination is especially apparent in the purchase of non-durable goods, such as everyday essentials, where shoppers value the opportunity to see, touch, and test products prior to making a purchase. Vendors have consistently supported the adoption of mobile payments through QR code-based transactions with the help of smartphones. In addition, there has been development in various sectors of the ecosystem. The less-cash initiatives are in good shape, which can be witnessed through the formation of a biometric infrastructure found by the government and an increase in the adoption of EMV-based contactless payments, generally known as Near Field Communication (NFC) Pay, in Japan. These forecast trends act as integral drivers in encouraging the adoption of POS terminals across the country.
For instance, in May 2024, Apple announced that the Tap to Pay feature would be available in Japan, powered by three financial services companies: GMO Financial Gate Inc., Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd., and Square Co., Ltd., while many more were on the verge of joining these companies. Additionally, Tap to Pay on iPhone would be available for use in Japanese Apple Stores.
The modern design of the POS terminals lowers the cost of establishment, deployment, maintenance, and power consumption during usage, which accounts for the reduction of the total cost of ownership. Most vendors offer modularly designed POS terminals. Hence, with features such as touchscreen displays and energy-efficient designs wherein, the overall cost of ownership is bound to be reduced.
Unique Retail Environment of Japan to Lead Market Growth
In Japan, the concept of Omotenashi, or exceptional hospitality, underscores a retail culture focused on personalized customer care. Traditional brick-and-mortar stores remain central to Japanese retail, particularly for non-durable goods, as consumers value the demonstrative shopping experience. However, e-commerce is rapidly growing, with platforms such as Amazon Japan, Yahoo Shopping, and Rakuten gaining popularity due to high internet use, advanced logistics, and competitive pricing.
E-commerce today accounts for about 10% of total retail sales, according to The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, in large part driven by urban density, rapid technological advances, and changing consumer preference. But even as it grows, e-commerce will have to continue playing second fiddle to brick-and-mortar stores, particularly in industries where going into a store is a major part of the experience leading to a purchase decision. Such a duality promotes a unique retail environment, where traditional and online retail coexist and complement each other. It is for this reason that efficiency, integration, and customer-oriented shopping experiences within such a dynamic environment are of primal importance with the help of POS terminals.
For instance, by 2025, Seven-Elevens in Japan are planning to introduce self-checkouts in all their stores. Self-checkouts are machines that allow customers to complete their transactions from a retailer without needing a traditional staffed checkout, which will save more time for customers.
Technological Advancements to Cater Market Transformations
The players in Japan POS terminal market are in a race to grab a higher share by focusing on several key strategies and innovations. They integrate mobile payment options, such as QR codes, digital wallets, and contactless payments, against the backdrop of the growing popularity of PayPay, Line Pay, and Rakuten Pay. These terminals come with inventory management, CRM, and data analytics, among other advanced features, while guaranteeing ease of operations and insight into customer behavior. Cloud-based solutions are gaining significant traction. These solutions ensure real-time updates, remote management, and multi-location operation management. Providers are also focusing on additional security by integrating encryption, tokenization, and biometric authentication in the products to help fight fraud and data breaches. Other customizable and flexible POS solutions have been developed for particular industries, such as retail, hospitality, and healthcare. Users can personalize different functionalities in regard to their operational activities.
For instance, in February 2023, Ingenico introduced Palm Vein Identification, which includes several advantages over Face recognition and Fingerprint identification, such as security and privacy. Since the vein patterns are inside the body, they cannot be captured without the user's consent. It ensures better privacy and reduces the risk of unauthorized data collection, including benefits such as accuracy, reliability, hygiene, liveness detection, and others.
Government Initiatives Acting as a Catalyst
Government policies in Japan have a high impact on domestic and foreign retailers. The prevailing debt financing practices influence domestic retailers, whereas legislation proposed to support them affects foreign competitors. The major foreign retailers that are performing well in Japan are Walmart, H&M, KFC, Zara, McDonald's, and Domino's.
It includes mobile payments, especially through the use of QR code-enabled smartphones, and the ecosystem is continuing to take shape. Cashless initiatives are finally starting to gain a solid pace in the country due to the development of biometrics infrastructure, mostly government-funded, and expansion in the use of EMV-based contactless payments, which enjoys the company-naming privilege as NFC Pay in Japan. These elements are driving the growth in the adoption of POS terminals in the country.
The Japanese government's Cashless Vision initiative played a very significant role in popularizing all modes of paying without cash throughout the country. This is supposed to increase the share to 40% by 2025 and, for that matter, up to 80% in the long term. This ambitious plan is part of a greater strategy to modernize the economy and make transactions more efficient. In 2019, rebates and points were given to consumers for making purchases with digital payment methods as part of a government incentive program that doled out rewards for cashless transactions, greatly increasing adoption.
For example, in 2023, according to the data given by METI, this ratio of cashless payments against the total amount paid by consumers became 39.3%. It is further growth in the direction of the government's goal-40% in 2025. Besides that, serious steps to promote cashless payments were made by METI such as public awareness campaigns and support for small and medium-sized enterprises in the adoption of cashless payment systems were introduced.
Central Region Dominates POS Payment Market Share
Major cities like Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya are trending in POS payments owing to key drivers. These metropolitan cities enjoy the presence of well-developed infrastructure, a high population density, and tech-savvy consumers. This, in turn, encourages the wide usage of advanced payment technologies. Moreover, technological advances also add fuel to the trend. Mobile wallets and contactless systems surge among city urbanities. Convenience and security are accorded by these technologies; thus, they easily attract urban residents who wish to make quick and efficient payments.
Overall, Tokyo and other major cities stand at the forefront of Japan's POS payment market. This leadership is supported by a combination of supportive government policies, cutting-edge technology, and urban consumer behavior that favors cashless transactions, setting a clear contrast with the more cash-dependent rural areas.
For instance, in August 2024, JR East Japan will resume issuing name-type Suica IC cards in Autumn, following a temporary suspension due to semiconductor shortages. These IC cards, which facilitate electronic payments for fares and shopping, offer a notable advantage in central Japan, particularly around Tokyo. In Greater Tokyo, using an IC card can often be cheaper than a paper ticket, as fares are rounded to the nearest USD 0.070 (JPY 10) for paper tickets but not for IC card transactions. JR East Japan will announce the exact sales start date once the inventory issues are resolved.
In contrast, rural areas in Japan experience slower adoption of POS payments. This lag is attributed to lower population density, fewer technological developments, and a cultural preference for cash transactions, which remains strong in less populated regions.
Future Market Scenario (FY2025 - FY2032F)
The accelerating transition toward digital payments and the cashless economy are driving the growth of the POS payments market.
POS payments will adapt to different form factors to meet the needs of various customer segments.
The duality of growth of retail and e-commerce coexist and complement each other, leading to the growth of the POS payment market.
Governments have made policies that try to limit the use of hard cash within economic borders. POS machines can help ensure business enterprises can comfortably make and receive electronic payments, as opposed to cash-based sales or purchases.
The POS payment market in Japan is characterized by intense competition and continuous innovation. Companies are striving to outperform each other through competitive pricing, value-added services, superior customer experience, and robust security measures, including advanced fraud prevention and AI integration. The market is highly competitive but fragmented, with domestic and international players actively seeking to capture market share. Major players are investing heavily in research and development to launch advanced POS products and often form strategic partnerships with financial institutions and tech companies to broaden their market presence and enhance offerings. The positive market outlook is driven by growing demand for automation, AI, and sophisticated customer analysis.
In August 2024, Stinker Stores, a convenience chain operating in Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado, selected NCR Voyix to implement the NCR Voyix Commerce Platform using Edge infrastructure to enhance its store technology. This virtualization enables Stinker to utilize the latest software on existing hardware, resulting in significant savings of 60% in POS hardware costs and 80% in back-office technology expenses. The modernization aims to streamline operations and improve overall efficiency in the stores.
In February 2024, Ingenico Co. announced its partnership with Anycover, a Singapore-based Insurtech startup, in providing embedded insurance to in-store POS terminals. It is a process that incorporates insurance products into a non-insurance transaction platform, hence providing significant access and the ability of the consumer to access it. In this model, insurance coverage comes as part of the buying process during the point of sale.
Companies mentioned above DO NOT hold any order as per market share and can be changed as per information available during research work.