Mainstream credit card issuing institutions in Japan
Besides Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, Japan also has its domestic payment network JCB. However, there are fewer financial institutions in Hong Kong that issue JCB credit cards. Many large Japanese department stores cooperate with UnionPay, offering extra discounts for payments made with UnionPay cards! Before shopping, you can inquire about the details of the offers at the customer service desk and then decide which card to use for payment.
| Credit Card | Japan Free Travel Spending Rebate (Up to) | Foreign Currency Transaction Fee |
|---|---|---|
| AEON CARD WAKUWAKU | 3% Cash Rebate | Waiver of Overseas Transaction Charges (Excluding Fees Charged by Card Organization) |
| Sinhan International Motion Credit Card | 6% Cash Rebate | 1.95% |
| Bank of China EarnMORE UnionPay Card | 2% Cash Rebate | / |
| Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card | 0.56% Cash Rebate | / |
| Fubon Platinum Card | 4% Cash Rebate / HK$1.5 per Mile | 1.95% |
| Bank of China Chill Card | 5% Cash Rebate | 1.95% |
AEON CARD WAKUWAKU: Welcome new cardholders with up to 16% cashback on purchases.
**Click Here to Apply:** AEON CARD WAKUWAKU
**Credit Card Features:**
* 6% Cashback on Online Spending
* 3% Cashback on Japan Spending
* Lifetime Free Annual Fee
* Waived Overseas Transaction Fees
**Exclusive Welcome Offers**
* First 60 days, enjoy up to 10% cashback (maximum HK$500) on online spending with a minimum of HK$8,000.
* First 60 days, enjoy up to HK$200 cashback on designated categories*:
* "Octopus Auto-top Up" service
* Rent payment via Rentsmart, Reap or Keychain Pay platform
* Monthly auto-transfer arrangement at merchant settings
* Any spending on App Store or Google Play
* *Designated categories include:
**MoneyHero Exclusive Offer - HK$200 Wellcome Supermarket Gift Voucher + HK$200 Cashback! Click the link to learn more (Limited time offer, please refer to the latest information).**
2. Fubon Visa Platinum Card: Rebate up to HK$3 per mile earned.
**Apply Now for the Fubon Visa Platinum Card**
**Credit Card Features:**
* Up to 4% cashback at local online merchants or designated supermarkets.
* 8% cashback on New Taiwan Dollar spending, 3.2% cashback on Japanese Yen / Korean Won spending.
* 2% cashback on other foreign currency spending.
**Exclusive Sign-Up Offers (Enjoy exclusive offers by applying through MoneyHero):**
* Spend HK$5,800 or more in the first 3 months: Get HK$500 cash back.
* Apply through the Fubon GO mobile app: Receive a HK$100 supermarket cash voucher.
**MoneyHero Exclusive Offer -**
**Upon successful card approval within 7 days, request the prize redemption form through our website. No spending required to receive the following rewards:**
- HK$700 Apple Gift Card / HK$700 Wellcome Cash Voucher; or
- Delsey Eclipse SE 27" Expandable Suitcase (valued at HK$3,680; color random); or
- Sudio Femtio Wireless Speaker (valued at HK$999; color random)
**(Limited-time offer, please refer to the latest information.)**
5. Anycard EarnMore UnionPay Card: No foreign currency transaction fee + 2% foreign currency spending cashback.
**Apply Here: Anxin EarnMore UnionPay Card**
**Credit Card Features:**
* 2% cashback on all spending (including dining, online shopping, local and foreign currency transactions)
* OmyCard mobile app supports QR code payment function
* Enjoy HK$100 discount for spending HK$1,000 or more at Sam's Club in Shenzhen or Zhuhai
**Exclusive Welcome Offers:**
* Spend HK$9,800: OTO GoGo Relax 2.0 Massage Chair (VN-05)
* Spend HK$8,500: German brand WiFi Intelligent UVC Air Purifier Humidifier Fan Heater (EFB-426HM-SC)/HK$500 cash back; or
* Full-time students: Spend HK$2,000 and get HK$200 cash back; or
* Up to HK$90,000 interest-free and fee-free cash installment plan
Bank of China Chill Card
**Apply Now:** BOC Chill Card
**Credit Card Features**
* 10% Cashback at merchants such as cinemas, Netflix, and UNIQLO.
* 5% Cashback on online and overseas spending.
* Lifetime Annual Fee Waiver.
**Exclusive Welcome Offers**
* Spend HK$5,000 or more within the first three months of card issuance: HK$500 Cashback.
Points to Note for Shopping and Using Credit Cards in Japan
Credit card processing fee
When making purchases with a card in Japan, it is the same as in other overseas locations. Pay attention to the currency choice when settling the bill. Some POS (card payment) terminals offer currency options and you can choose to pay in Hong Kong dollars or Japanese yen. This type of transaction is called Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC), which usually has a worse exchange rate, and some banks may also charge handling fees for cross-border transactions in Hong Kong dollars. In general, it is recommended to settle overseas consumption in local currency. If you are concerned about foreign currency charges, consider using a credit card that waives foreign currency transaction fees, such as the Standard Chartered Smart Card.
Electronic payment
Although many places in Japan accept credit cards, some merchants still require you to insert a physical card for payment! MoneyHero suggests it's best to carry a physical credit card because not everywhere supports contactless payments or mobile wallet payments like Apple Pay/Google Pay. Besides credit cards, Japan also has the following electronic payment methods that accept electronic wallet payments, such as Suica or Pasmo, for payment at some merchants.
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