# Getting a credit/debit card in Japan



## Narue86

Hi All.

I am desperate. I have tried by all means to survive without a card in Japan but it is simply not possible if you want to go out the country (even for holidays). I cannot purchase plane tickets without a card!

I am holding an account with SMBC (worst customer service so far - they remind you are a stinky gaijin every 2 minutes) and Shinsei Bank (it is ok, if you do not need to use the account at all). None of them gave me a debit/ credit card.

In January I had to travel abroad for business reasons and suffered a lot trying to work out a way to get money abroad in case I run out of cash. Thanks God Shinsei cash card works in some international ATMs! I had to transfer money from my SMBC account to Shinsei via internet, and then withdraw the cash from the appropriate ATM.

Now, I need to purchase a plane ticket which I can only pay by debit/credit card. I have my Spanish debit card but I need to transfer money to my Spanish account first (needless to mention the transfer fees I will need to pay). After waiting 3 weeks, SMBC "honoured" me the access to do international transfers via internet, but now I have to wait again until they verify my Spanish bank account details. Seriously??!

Shinsei Bank does not even mention international transfers in their simple website.

I am desperate. Plane tickets are getting more and more expensive and, despite having the money to pay them, I cannot. It is VERY frustrating.

When I asked SMBC why they rejected my card request they said that it was not SMBC who rejected me, but Visa. I do not believe it. I have had a Visa card in Spain for years without any problems. This is simple racism.

Do you know any human way to get a card in Japan? I do not even need a credit one (never liked owing money) but they do not use debit cards in this "developed" country, do they?

I would appreciate some light here. I am losing my nerves 

Thank you in advance.


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## masterx808

Try to use pioneer One It's free of charge And Better for you anywhere " ATM , Online Payment "


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## dokilis

It sounds weird, but I got mine at AEON shopping mall. Many places have their own cards where you can points. Just go up to their little sales booth in the center, fill out forms and it should be okay. I think it depends on salary and how long you've been here, but I had no problem getting approved!


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## BBCWatcher

Suruga Bank offers a Visa debit card. Search for "Visaデビット" on their Japanese Web site for more information. If that card is a good match for your needs then I recommend consolidating your banking at Suruga, though be careful when and where you use your ATM/debit card to withdraw cash so you avoid fees. Also make sure you understand any foreign currency exchange fees.

Be careful about keeping a reasonably low balance on the account linked directly to your debit card. You can use time deposits (even short ones) at Suruga to keep funds segregated away from direct debit card access.

On edit: It appears Suruga charges 3% above Visa network on foreign currency transactions with their debit card. If you use an overseas ATM then there's a 215 yen fee added on top of the 3% forex fee. Not a bargain, but it's pretty typical among Japanese cards. However, there's a 0.2% rebate on all Visa debit purchases, so that's pretty good if you're shopping with the card in Japan. You can also optionally set a debt/ATM daily limit that's less than your account balance.


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## BBCWatcher

Rakuten Bank also offers a Visa debit card. I'm not sure about its fees.

On edit: And I see Resona Bank has a Visa debit card, too. I think that one is tied to a JAL Mileage Bank account for earning points, and it's free to get a JMB account if you don't have one.

On second edit: UFJ Bank, part of the giant MUFG, also now issues Visa debit cards. Between these four banks you should have plenty of opportunity for comparison shopping to find the lowest cost/highest reward card.


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## BBCWatcher

I checked these four banks' fee disclosures. If you're using your Visa debit card to spend overseas (outside Japan) then Resona appears to have the best deal since they charge a 2.5% markup instead of the 3% at the other three banks. (One of them is at 3.024% since they add the 8% GST on top of the 3% markup rather than within their markup.) Rebates and points may influence the effective markup a bit, but I don't think they can close the gap. A 2.5% markup still isn't great, but among these four banks' debit cards it appears to be the best offer. I also don't see an additional charge (beyond the 2.5% markup) from Resona for using an ATM overseas, though any local fee the ATM operator tacks on is one that you'd have to pay if you proceed with the cash withdrawal.

Suruga might have the best deal within Japan given their 0.2% rebate on all Visa debit card spending at merchants.

Fees and charges can change, so please check again if/when you're thinking about opening an account.

Resona offers either a JAL Mileage Bank version of their Visa debit card or a non-JAL version with another reward points system depending on which you prefer.


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## tantan3300

dokilis said:


> It sounds weird, but I got mine at AEON shopping mall. Many places have their own cards where you can points. Just go up to their little sales booth in the center, fill out forms and it should be okay. I think it depends on salary and how long you've been here, but I had no problem getting approved!


yeah, i also have mine at AEON. it's not hard to create one.


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## EvanCarter

Resona Bank is another one to consider. They offer debit cards.

Your best bet for a credit card is to go inside a bank and try and find a booth where the people look desperate to sell them. They'll work something out for you. Then once you have a credit card, you can make a few payments over the course of a few months, and once you're established with credit, you'll have an easier time getting other credit cards with better fees/reward programs.


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## JerryDavid

I managed to open a UFJ bank account a couple of years ago. When I came back to Japan last february, I just walked into the bank and applied for their VISA debit card. They are running campaigns and commercials for that card now.


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## Bellthorpe

Narue86 said:


> When I asked SMBC why they rejected my card request they said that it was not SMBC who rejected me, but Visa.


That is an out and out lie.

Visa does has no involvement in the decision to issue a card/ It has no mechanism to do it.


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## kakutoudamashii

Hi

I used to use Rakuten Bank's debit card frequently. Never had any issues with it.

It's worth looking into.


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## Narue86

Thank you All for your replies and advice.

I finally created an account with Mitsubishi UFJ Bank who issues debit cards easily. I must say I am very happy so far. They treated me very well when opening the account (they did not call my boss to check on me as Mitsui Sumitomo did) and I got my cash card, debit card and internet banking card within a week. I am now a happy debit card holder ^_^

I strongly recommend Mitsubishi UFJ ;-)


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## Rubber Ducky

Narue86 said:


> Thank you All for your replies and advice.
> 
> I finally created an account with Mitsubishi UFJ Bank who issues debit cards easily. I must say I am very happy so far. They treated me very well when opening the account (they did not call my boss to check on me as Mitsui Sumitomo did) and I got my cash card, debit card and internet banking card within a week. I am now a happy debit card holder ^_^
> 
> I strongly recommend Mitsubishi UFJ ;-)


Hi.

Good to see that you got yourself sorted.

I have a question and this might seem a bit of a strange one, but here goes.

I have a friend (really) that I am trying to help get a credit card for. I have 4 credit cards myself
Rakuten, View Suica, Yamaya, Mitsubishi UFJ Gold, 
I speak and read Japanese fluently,
but every time I help him on his application, or he does it himself he gets denied.
I have had my share of rejection from credit card companies here in Japan, but this guy takes the cake.
he has been denied from almost everyone... even ACOM! and they're a bunch of Yak affiliates!

he swears to me he has no debt in Japan, or in the States
but he was really late on his residence tax. Like really late!

does anyone know if this affects your credit rating in Japan? it shouldn't but the rejection this guy is getting is phenomenal


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