Ocean and Recruit Form New Business Partnership

Ocean Co., Ltd. has entered into a business partnership with Recruit Co., Ltd. regarding Ocean’s refund-type tax exemption platform, “Ocean Tax Refund.”

Through this partnership, we will begin introducing “Ocean Tax Refund” to stores nationwide that use Recruit’s POS register app “AirREGI” and payment service “AirPAY”. In addition, both companies will explore ways to link purchase data between “AirREGI” and “Ocean Tax Refund” to support a series of operations from tax-free applications at stores to refunds for visitors to Japan.

In November 2026, Japan’s tax-free system will switch entirely from an “immediate in-store tax-free system” to a “refund system.” Visitors to Japan will pay the tax-inclusive price at the time of purchase, and will receive a refund equivalent to the consumption tax after their purchase is verified by customs upon departure. Businesses nationwide are being asked to review their systems and store operations to accommodate this change.

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Also Read: Ocean’s Series A Funding Targets Japan’s New Tax Refund Era

On the other hand, offering tax-free shopping presents a significant opportunity to capture spending from tourists visiting Japan. Recruit’s “AirREGI”  and “AirPAY”have been adopted nationwide by stores in a wide range of industries, including retail, food and beverage, and service industries. They are used by many stores of all sizes, from urban areas to rural areas, and overlap significantly with the base of businesses that need to adapt to the new tax-free shopping system. Through this partnership, we will provide “Ocean Tax Refund” to stores using “AirREGI” and “AirPAY,” creating an environment where they can smoothly adapt to the new tax-free shopping system.

Source: PRTimes