JR East announced on December 12 that it will install ticket gates compatible with the IC boarding card "Suica" at 10 stations between Hirosaki and Aomori on the Ou Main Line.

Stations in the Aomori area that support watermelons are Hirosaki, Naijoshi, Kawabe, Kita Tokiwa, Namioka, Daishaka, Tsurugasaka, Tsugaru Shinshiro, Shin-Aomori, and Aomori. The service will start from the first train on May 27, 2023. Suica will also be available at 35 stations on 6 lines in the Morioka and Akita areas.

Hirosaki, Aomori, and Shin-Aomori are compatible with IC compatible automatic ticket gates. Simple Suica ticket gates without automatic ticket gates will be installed at Nadeushi, Kawabe, Kitatokiwa, Namioka, Daishaka, Tsurugasaka, and Tsugaru Shinshiro.

On social media, there were comments such as, "Will we finally be able to use Suica in Aomori?", "It's been 20 years since Suica was born, and after 20 years, it's finally becoming a local train line." , I have to find the sealed Suica..." In addition, there were surprised voices saying, ``Aomori couldn't use Suica. There was also a voice.