Credit Card Guide for Foreigners in Japan (2025)

Getting a credit card in Japan as a foreigner is possible — but you need to know which cards actually approve foreigners and which ones will waste your time. Here’s the real breakdown.

Can Foreigners Get a Japanese Credit Card?

Yes. Most major credit cards in Japan accept foreign residents. What they’re looking at:

• Residence card with valid status
• Japanese bank account for automatic payments
• Stable income — employed or self-employed
• Some cards want to see 1+ year of residence in Japan

The key word is residents. If you’re here on a tourist visa, it’s not happening. But if you’re a proper resident, you’ve got options.

Best Credit Cards for Foreigners

1. Rakuten Card — Start Here

Rakuten Card is where most foreigners start, and for good reason — it has the most foreigner-friendly approval criteria of any major card in Japan. No annual fee, points you can actually use everywhere, and an English app that works well.

Start with this one.

2. Epos Card — Great for New Arrivals

Epos is another solid option with high approval rates for foreigners. You can apply in-person at any Marui department store counter, which is useful if you’d rather not do it all online. Works great for restaurants and travel bookings.

3. Amazon Mastercard — If You Shop on Amazon

If you’re a heavy Amazon shopper — and a lot of people in Japan are — the cashback rate here beats Rakuten Card on Amazon purchases. Simple, no annual fee, does what it says.

4. Saison Card — Good for Flexibility

Saison offers a range of card types so you can find one that fits your spending habits. Reasonable approval rates for foreigners and no annual fee on the basic version.

Cards to Skip for Now

Don’t bother applying for premium cards (Amex, Diners, high-tier JCB) until you’ve built up credit history in Japan. They’ll probably reject you and every rejection makes the next application slightly harder.

Why Getting a Card Is Harder Here

Japan’s credit system starts from zero when you arrive. Nobody knows you. The banks look at:

• How long you’ve lived in Japan
• Whether you have stable employment
• Your income level
• Payment history on any existing accounts (like your phone bill)

If you get rejected, don’t panic. Wait 6 months, build up some track record, and try again. Your odds improve significantly with time.

Tips to Improve Your Approval Chances

Open a bank account first. Almost every credit card requires a Japanese bank account for automatic payments. Get that sorted before you apply.

Apply for Rakuten Card first. It has the most flexible criteria. If any card is going to approve you, it’s this one.

Don’t apply for multiple cards at once. Multiple applications in a short period show up on your credit report and hurt your score. Pick one, wait for the answer, then apply for another if needed.

Pay your phone bill on time. Your mobile contract payment history is checked as part of the credit assessment. On-time payments help.

Debit Cards as a Backup

If you can’t get a credit card yet, a Visa debit card is accepted almost everywhere credit cards are:

• Sony Bank Wallet — Visa debit, accepted worldwide
• Rakuten Bank debit card — easy to get alongside a Rakuten bank account

Not as good for building credit, but they get the job done while you wait.

Summary

Start with Rakuten Card. It’s the most foreigner-friendly option out there, it’s free, and the points are genuinely useful.