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JR East to Retire Suica Penguin at End of Fiscal 2026

JR East says the handover is part of a drive to make Suica a more global everyday device.

Overview

  • The company announced the longtime mascot will “graduate” at the end of fiscal 2026, which corresponds to around March 2027 in Japan’s fiscal calendar.
  • A successor mascot has not been decided, and the selection process is still being considered with customer participation under review.
  • From autumn 2026, Mobile Suica will add QR-code payments and raise the per-purchase limit from ¥20,000 to up to ¥300,000.
  • JR East reports total Suica issuance of roughly 120 million including mobile, reflecting broad adoption since the 2001 launch.
  • President Yoichi Kise credited the penguin with helping Suica become a beloved device, while creator Chiharu Sakazaki thanked users for 25 years.