Japanese wellness company MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies has announced that a master service agreement with Tools for Humanity and the World Foundation is now in effect, paving the way for large-scale deployment of iris-scanning Orb devices across retail locations in Japan.
The agreement took effect February 2, 2026. MEDIROM currently operates Orbs at more than 150 locations, primarily Re.Ra.Ku relaxation studios within the MEDIROM Group network, with cumulative iris authentications surpassing 20,000.
Tools for Humanity is the company behind World, the proof-of-personhood project formerly known as Worldcoin. The Orb uses iris biometrics to create a World ID credential, designed to allow people to demonstrate they are human in digital environments without disclosing traditional personal identity information — a proposition that has drawn significant attention as AI-generated synthetic identities become increasingly sophisticated.
MEDIROM is targeting a rollout to approximately 3,000 locations across Japan. The company estimated that at current authentication rates, the partnership could generate approximately $39 million in pre-tax income over two years if the expansion target is met, though it noted the figure is a forward-looking estimate.
The Japan expansion is part of a broader effort by World to establish physical enrollment infrastructure through consumer-facing retail partnerships. The project has navigated regulatory scrutiny in multiple markets: Thailand ordered Worldcoin to halt iris scanning and delete biometric data; the Philippines imposed a biometric ban that Tools for Humanity has contested; and World has recently launched operations in Italy after Kenya confirmed regulatory compliance with its data protection requirements.
MEDIROM operates approximately 300 wellness salons across Japan and has been expanding into health technology, including wearable and remote monitoring products. Tools for Humanity is headquartered in San Francisco and Munich.
Sources: GlobeNewswire
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By the Mobile ID World Editorial Team
