RFID Fitted Throughout Tokyo Ginza Shopping Center

Liam Cromar writes "In one of several RFID trials being held in Japan, the famous Ginza shopping area in Tokyo has been blanketed with around 10,000 RFID tags and other beacons. The trial got underway earlier this month, and general trials should start on January 21st 2007. Four languages, including English, will be supported by the service, which uses hand-held RFID terminals to get information about shops in the centre, including special offers and restaurant menus."

Comments

Ever thought of...

[interactive_civilian]

...I dunno, perhaps learning to read Japanese? Crazy idea, I know.

And please don't play the "Japanese is difficult to read" card. I lived there for 4 1/2 years, and when I entered the country my Japanese speaking and reading ability were nearly zero. Reading menus in restaurants stopped being a problem in less than a year. It shouldn't be difficult to pick up enough kanji to be able to recognise things on the menu and point to them even if you are not sure how to pronounce them.

Besides, picking up the language is a good thing. It gets you lots of free stuff. I've had 6000 yen bar tabs paid for by complete stranger just because I could speak Japanese and I talked to them...