Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2010

Courtesy of King Jim

E-money is big business in Japan. But despite the advances in coverage over the past few years, users are still confronted by an eternal problem: knowing how much money is actually left on their card. Or, er, cards. The Relet guarantees that you’ll never be caught short at the cash register again: simply slip your IC card in, push the button on the front, and you’ll get an instant read-out. Barely thicker than the average credit card, it’s compatible with all of the major names in the field, including Suica, Pasmo, Edy and Nanaco. We suspect that this is a niche too far, but you never know.

Relet e-money viewer, ¥8,379. Available from major electronics stores and Amazon Japan. www.kingjim.co.jp/relet