Promoting an unprecedented Osaka-Kansai Expo! The role of West Japan Railway Company in “Community ID Infrastructure” based on Azure AD B2C

NTT Communications Corporation

ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation

West Japan Railway Company driving “Kansai MaaS” for the events of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan: Revitalizing local communities and tackling local challenges via tourism MaaS, following reduced passenger numbers due to COVID-19

West Japan Railway Company ("JR West") aspires to “evolve connections between people, communities, and societies, stir the heart, and drive the future.” To achieve these aspirations, JR West is driving corporate reforms for the future by defining the following four visions as its Long-term Vision 2032 for the post-COVID-19 era, focusing on “safe, worry-free transportation that is kind to people and the planet,” “vibrant communities where people move about freely,” “convenient and abundant lifestyles for all people,” and “sustainable society.”

During a drastic reduction in railway passengers due to COVID-19, JR West established the Digital Solution Headquarters. Mr. Hideo Okuda, Director and Executive Officer of JR West, who serves as the General Manager of the Digital Solution Headquarters, explains the background of the organization’s establishment as follows.

“When the first emergency declaration was issued in the spring of 2020, the number of passengers using the Sanyo Shinkansen Line declined 89% from the previous year, and over the subsequent three years, the number of rail passengers fluctuated repeatedly in response to the spread of COVID-19. Given these conditions, we deeply felt the importance of contributing to the revitalization of local communities as a mass transportation system. To achieve this goal, the Digital Solution Headquarters was established to pioneer and facilitate the delivery of services customized for each unique customer," said Mr. Okuda.

In retrospect, Mr. Okuda recalls that changes in work styles, including a shrinking population and the widespread adoption of remote work, had been unfolding over some time, alongside the impact of COVID-19. He asserts that the COVID-19 crisis prompted JR West to recognize the necessity of structural reform, enabling the company to advance its initiatives.

The Kansai region, where the JR West operates, is gearing up to host Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, a significant event scheduled for April 2025, which involves collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors. Kansai MaaS (Mobility as a Service) is an initiative aligned with the theme of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan: “Design Future Society for Our Lives,” focusing on enhancing mobility.

The Kansai MaaS Council was founded by seven railways companies, including JR West, and launched as a large-scale MaaS initiative. This project brings together over 60 transportation companies, including bus and cab operators, as well as local governments, administrative agencies like the Kinki District Transport Bureau, and tourism organizations.

They are collaboratively striving to achieve seamless transportation and tourism services with the objective of supporting Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.

“Mobility Auth Bridge”: Connecting multiple services with a common ID using Azure AD B2C as an authentication and authorization platform

JR West is not only a member of the Kansai MaaS Council, but also plays a pivotal role as the primary vendor for the platform that underpins the MaaS initiatives. It collaborates with multiple partners to develop systems and applications, including the “KANSAI MaaS” platform, a wide-area MaaS application designed for smartphones.

“KANSAI MaaS” is being developed with the understanding that it will integrate with apps and services created by various stakeholders. This integration aims to offer users a comprehensive platform for one-stop access to multimodal transfer route searches, electronic ticketing services, information on leisure and lodging facilities, model courses, and other tourist-related details. Additionally, the platform will provide station maps and real-time train location information, primarily focused on the Kansai region.

To achieve this, an open and secure ID management infrastructure is indispensable, a mechanism that enables the use of various services with a “common ID for mobility and lifestyle services.” Therefore, JR West, in partnership with NTT Communications, created a new membership-based infrastructure service known as “Mobility Auth Bridge (“MAB”).”

Mr. Daisuke Yamamoto, who serves as the Deputy Manager of the MaaS Infrastructure Group, System Management Division, Digital Solution Headquarters at JR West and oversees the project’s overall system architecture, provides insights into the role of the MAB.

“To put it simply, MAB is an authentication and authorization platform, not a membership base infrastructure specifically tailored for ‘KANSAI MaaS’. It functions as a versatile microservice, linking multiple services through a common ID using OpenID Connect, based on the concept of a ‘ID infrastructure indispensable for communities.' When users engage with various applications and services, managing individual IDs and passwords can become cumbersome, leading some users to abandon these services. Our goal was to create a common membership base infrastructure service that facilitates seamless access to applications and services across a broad spectrum of businesses and local governments, while minimizing psychological barriers for users," said Mr. Yamamoto.

Mr. Okuda also explains the concept of MAB saying, “MAB is a triple-win scenario: it enhances individual customer experience, enables service providers to improve service quality through information sharing and collaboration, and contributes to the revitalization of local communities and the resolution of regional issues.”

The cloud ID infrastructure service “SELMID” from ITOCHU Techno-Solutions (“CTC”) serves as the ID infrastructure for MAB, and its authentication and authorization infrastructure is Azure Active Directory B2C (“Azure AD B2C”), an ID management service connecting businesses and consumers.

KANSAI MaaS App

Machi no Otomo Passport

Mr. Yusuke Sakai, Group Five Manager of the Solution Services Division at the Kansai Branch Office, NTT Communications Corporation, the Project Manager (PM) for the development of MAB, provides insight into the rationale behind the adoption of Azure AD B2C.

“The authentication area is a zero-tolerance zone for errors. Once an incident such as information leakage occurs, users will quickly leave. NTT Communications meticulously examined the architecture to mitigate risk, and after careful evaluation of the available services, we selected Azure AD B2C for its robustness and dependable performance," said Mr. Sakai.

Ms. Saaya Ogita, Manager of Transportation Technology Strategy at the Automotive & Transportation Sales Unit, Mobility Services Business Unit, Microsoft Japan, provided technical support to NTT Communications and other partners during the system development. She explained the positioning of Azure AD B2C in this project as follows:

“Azure AD B2C functions as a customer ID access management solution capable of supporting millions of users and handling billions of stable and secure authentications per day. We believe that this will not only enhance the existing security of MAB, but also provide forward-looking support, ensuring scalability alongside other services and collaborations in the future and accommodating the expansion of usage," said Ms. Ogita.

Overcoming various challenges, including frequent requirement changes, via robust collaboration among the four companies

JR West orchestrated the MAB project, collaborating with stakeholders, system vendors, and partners. NTT Communications constructed the system and Microsoft Japan provided technical support.

Mr. Sho Hiramatsu, Chief of Second Business Solutions, Sales Division/Urban Produce Promotion PT, Kansai Branch Office of NTT Communications Corporation, who has been involved in sales for JR West since the project’s inception, shares insights on the collaboration in building the MAB service as follows:

“In the process of constructing the service, we placed significant importance on meeting both the functional and non-functional requirements effectively, extending our consideration to JR West, the Kansai MaaS Council, the broader user base, and the aspect of the service as a ‘common ID for mobility and lifestyle services.' Through close collaboration with Microsoft Japan and aligning our perspectives on the service’s aspirations and business importance, we successfully addressed each of the issues step by step," said Mr. Hiramatsu.

Mr. Sakai, who led the system development project as the PM, reflects, “Amidst a multitude of stakeholders, we conscientiously adapted to evolving requirements throughout the project.”

In the system development of MAB, Azure AD B2C plays a crucial role. However, at the initial stages of the project, it was not generally available, which meant that its features and pricing structure were not yet finalized. Additionally, development was being conducted at Microsoft’s headquarters in the U.S., making it challenging to receive progress updates. Despite some events impacting the MAB release plan, including a two-month delay in the public preview, working in close collaboration with NTT Communications and the Microsoft Japan product manager, who functioned as a liaison with the U.S. headquarters, allowed them to release MAB on schedule.

“We communicated the magnitude and business impact of the MAB project to the U.S. headquarters, ensuring they comprehended the potential repercussions of any development schedule delays. Our account team collaborated closely with the development team at headquarters to address and tackle the issues," said Ms. Ogita.

Mr. Sakai highly praised the support of Microsoft Japan, stating, “Due to specific service requirements, it was necessary to keep the data within Japan, and we could not proceed with development until the service details and pricing of Azure AD B2C were finalized. Consequently, we worked closely with Microsoft Japan to coordinate with the U.S. headquarters, and after several iterations and adjustments, we successfully executed the project, ensuring it aligned with all our requirements.”

The vision of the “Community ID Infrastructure”: Realizing a Japanese version of MaaS that connects the activities of individuals across multiple applications

In this way, the “KANSAI MaaS” was released in September 2023. Mr. Okuda stresses that the value brought by MAB spans a wide range of areas and that it will play a significant role in JR West's medium-term management plan.

“We aim to position MAB as one of our profitable business ventures, while also nurturing it as a membership-based infrastructure service that contributes to local revitalization and provides solutions to solve local challenges. By using a single ID across multiple services, we can visualize each person’s activities as a ‘connection.’ From there, if we can provide more personalized information and create an emotional impact for everyone, it should contribute to future community development. Beyond commercialization, we ultimately aim to integrate with our core application ‘WESTER’ and conceptualize the development and deployment of a Japanese version of MaaS centered around the Shinkansen, connecting all JR Group companies, such as JR East and JR Central," said Mr. Okuda.

Mr. Keishi Okamoto serves as the Sr. Director of the Mobility Service Sales Division at Microsoft Japan, which offers a diverse range of solutions for the broader mobility sector, including transportation services, logistics, and the automotive industry. He has expressed that he will continue to provide support from various angles for the future goals of JR West, including the development of the Japanese version of MaaS.

“Microsoft Japan is committed not only to supporting the development of the ID infrastructure but also to further developing MAB as an ‘ID infrastructure for communities that enhance people’s mobility and lifestyles.’ Additionally, we aim to facilitate the utilization of the data accumulated in MAB through our innovative solutions," said Mr. Okamoto.

NTT Communications also indicated that they are poised to support the project, aiming to analyze and effectively utilize the data. “Our participation extends beyond product development. We are excited to collaborate with JR West as a digital business partner to create innovative businesses that have the potential to transform the world. We anticipate that the MAB will seamlessly integrate member data, including preferences and location information from the approximately 95 million DOCOMO customers we serve, combined with JR West’s mobility data, which encompasses IC card usage and transportation patterns. Our approach prioritizes data security and ensures that all utilization is with user consent. Ultimately, our vision is to enhance the convenience of local residents who rely on the MAB," said Mr. Hiramatsu.

Mr. Okuda speaks of future outlook, aiming to expand the adoption of Kansai MaaS in collaboration with partners who share JR West’s ambitious goal to “become a corporate group that takes a leading role in shaping social infrastructure during the post-COVID-19 era.”

“We leverage the ‘connections’ forged through our sturdy foundation of trust, which we have built over time with our customers, while NTT Communications and Microsoft Japan highlight formidable technological expertise on the global stage. We passionately believe that these strengths enable us to create services that precisely meet our customers’ needs," said Mr. Okuda.

In preparation for the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, JR West and Kansai MaaS initiatives will accelerate further. MaaS encompasses three perspectives: urban, tourism-focused, and regional. They will promote three types of MaaS: Kansai MaaS for urban areas, tourism-focused MaaS centered around the travel guide application ‘tabiwa by WESTER,’ and regional MaaS including demand-responsive shared taxis. The goal is to connect with visitors to the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan through the MAB IDs and foster collaboration with various businesses and local governments.

“We aspire to create a world where not only people in Japan, but individuals worldwide, ‘desire to visit,’ ‘return to,’ ‘reside in,’ and ‘sustain their lives’ in Japan. To realize this vision, we intend to commence our efforts in western Japan, with Kansai MaaS at the heart of our initiatives, and subsequently extend our reach to encompass the entirety of Japan," said Mr. Okuda.

Collaborative Construction of MaaS by Seven Major Kansai Railway Companies - Deployment of Wide-Area MaaS through Collaboration of Domestic Railway Operators in the Kansai Region: The First Initiative of Its Kind in Japan
https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/items/221108_00_kansaimaas.pdf

Launch of the New “Mobility Auth Bridge” Membership Infrastructure Service: Connecting People, Communities, and Societies by Supporting the Mobility and Lifestyles of People
- Transforming a Digital Social Infrastructure into an As-a-Service for the First Time for Japanese Railroad Operators
230828_00_press_mobilityauthbridge.pdf (westjr.co.jp)

Release of KANSAI MaaS Application
- The First Wide-Area MaaS Application Launched by Domestic Railway Operators in Collaboration!
https://www.westjr.co.jp/press/article/items/230905_00_press_kansaimaas.pdf