Akuru Launches Fraud Detection and Authentication System 'ASUKA' for JA Zen-Noh's E-commerce Site 'JA Town'

Akuru Inc., a provider of fraud prevention solutions for credit card payments, has launched its fraud detection and authentication system, 'ASUKA,' for 'JA Town,' a direct-from-farm e-commerce site operated by the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations (JA Zen-Noh). Despite industry-wide efforts to strengthen fraud prevention following the mandatory adoption of EMV 3-D Secure in April 2025, the Japan Consumer Credit Association reported that damages from credit card number theft reached 47.5 billion yen in 2025, remaining at a high level. In response, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) published the 'Credit Card Security Guidelines' in March 2026, urging e-commerce merchants to implement appropriate security measures. To protect the 'safe purchasing experience,' merchants must build fraud prevention systems from a preventative perspective rather than just reactive measures. While 'JA Town' had previously implemented its own security measures and EMV 3-D Secure, the enhanced authentication led to issues such as checkout abandonment and stagnant authorization rates, raising concerns about lost opportunities and customer impact. Furthermore, fraud prevention was needed for non-credit card payment methods as well. Against this backdrop, 'JA Town' introduced 'ASUKA' to suppress excessive authentication, improve authorization rates through appropriate risk assessment, and maximize sales while ensuring a more comfortable user experience. 'ASUKA' is an advanced security system that detects signs of fraud in real-time based on transaction and attribute information, automating the authentication process. Moving forward, Akuru will collaborate with 'JA Town' to contribute to reducing fraud, improving authorization rates, and supporting the realization of a secure and safe e-commerce site.