JR East is retiring the iconic Suica penguin as part of a rebranding effort to transform its transit card system into a modern fintech platform, aiming to compete with QR code-based payment services like PayPay. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/16/japan/suica-icon-to-retire/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #suica #penguin #jreast #softbank #paypay