Samsung Galaxy S27 May Finally Let You Tap Into Japan’s Payment System Like An iPhone Can

Have you ever arrived in Japan with an Android phone and discovered your perfectly capable NFC tap-to-pay feature is completely useless, or heard this from a friend who has? You’re not alone. 

According to a Japan-based publication, No-Genkin, Samsung is working with the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) to bring FeliCa support to Galaxy smartphones (globally, not just in the region). The integration could start with the Galaxy S27 series in 2027. 

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What is FeliCa, and why has it been a problem for Android users?

Short for Felicity Card, FeliCa is a contactless payment technology developed by Sony that underpins the country’s entire transit and retail payment system. This includes the widely used Suica card system.  

Now, unlike the NFC Type-A standard used globally, FeliCa is classified as NFC-F. It stores monetary value directly on a secure chip, enabling fast offline transactions without a network connection (something the Indian UPI system could learn from). 

This is the reason why iPhones gained global FeliCa support from the iPhone 8 onwards, and the Google Pixel lineup has supported it since the Pixel 6. However, the global Samsung Galaxy smartphones have remained locked out, wherein support is only available for the Japan-specific models. 

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So, international tourists with a Galaxy smartphone either have to carry a physical Suica card or scramble at airport kiosks on arrival, which is quite a hassle in my opinion. 

How is Samsung planning to change this?

Samsung’s collaboration with JR East goes beyond the hardware compatibility that Galaxy phones have been missing. JR East is also working with the company to enable Samsung Pay as an in-app payment method within the Mobile Suica and Welcome Suica Mobile apps. 

This would allow international Galaxy users to top up their Suica balance directly through the Samsung Pay app, purchasing tickets and passes online. This would also extend to the local Japanese users as well. 

For now, support is only confirmed for Samsung Galaxy phones launching from 2027 onwards. In other words, the existing Galaxy models, including the latest Galaxy S26 series, won’t receive it. Simply put, the Galaxy S27 could become the first Galaxy phone to bridge the long-standing gap between its and Apple’s or Google’s smartphones. 

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