Temple University, Japan Campus (TUJ) has begun implementing cashless operations on campus this summer semester (starting May 24). This provides greater convenience for students and parents, and greater operational efficiency for the university. Payments of tuition and other fees have long been accepted by credit card or bank transfer. Now payments for other services can also be made by AirPAY using prepaid IC transportation cards such as Suica and Pasmo. It has been installed at the Information Center on the first floor, and can also be used to pay photocopying fees at the library.
AirPAY is a settlement service system that accepts major credit cards, prepaid IC transportation cards, and other online settlement applications including Apple Pay by using an iPad or iPhone. TUJ introduced the system on a trial basis in January of last year (2020), and after a temporary suspension due to the pandemic, TUJ has completely shifted to a cashless system from this summer semester. For payments at all campus offices other than the library, students and visitors are requested to pay with AirPAY installed at the Information Center on the first floor, and then present the receipts at each office as a proof.
CFO Masamune Furukawa, who has been preparing for the transitions, commented that the move to a cashless campus was “driven by the fact that cashless payment tools have become more available, and also by our campus move to this new location in Sangen-jaya in fall 2019.”
The advantages of going cashless include: (1) greater convenience for the university’s financial and accounting operations, as there are many foreign students enrolled; (2) reduced costs for counting, storing, transporting, and depositing cash; and (3) streamlined and more efficient business operations. “In addition, contactless payment methods may help prevent from virus transmission. It will also assist to promote and further establish remote work operations, hastily introduced due to the pandemic and in place,” said Furukawa.
TUJ will continue to improve its services for students from all over the world studying at an American university in Tokyo.