Topic guide
Get approved, avoid revolving-debt traps, and earn points that fit your life.
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Overview
A credit card in Japan is useful for online shopping, recurring bills, travel, and building a domestic payment history. Approval depends on stable income and residency more than on a foreign credit score, which does not transfer. Many residents start with an issuer tied to a shopping ecosystem — for example Rakuten Card or Epos — because approval is often accessible and points are easy to use.
The biggest trap is リボ払い (revolving payment), which spreads balances over time at high effective interest and is sometimes enabled by default or nudged during sign-up. Choosing 一括払い (pay-in-full) each month avoids interest entirely. Annual fees, point ecosystems, and English support are the other decisions worth researching.
If you are rejected, it is usually about employment length, income documentation, or too many recent applications — not nationality. Waiting, applying to a more accessible issuer, or building history with one card first are common next steps.
At a glance
The main researched options, side by side. Open any row for the full, source-backed detail.
| # | Product | Category | English support | Fees | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Rakuten CardRakuten Card | No-annual-fee credit card | Partial | No annual fee; interest applies only if you use revolving or installment payments. | Read more → |
| 2 |  Epos CardMarui (Epos) | No-annual-fee credit card | No | No annual fee for the base card; interest only on revolving/installment use. | Read more → |
| 3 |  American Express (Japan)American Express International | Annual-fee rewards card | Yes | Annual fee varies by card tier — compare against the benefits you will use. | Read more → |
| 4 |  Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL)Sumitomo Mitsui Card | No-annual-fee credit card | No | No annual fee for the standard card; other cards and payment services have separate fees. | Read more → |
| 5 |  JCB Card SJCB | No-annual-fee credit card | No | No annual fee for the standard card; other cards and payment services have separate fees. | Read more → |
| 6 |  d CardNTT DOCOMO | No-annual-fee credit card | No | No annual fee for the standard card; other cards and payment services have separate fees. | Read more → |
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Products & services
No-annual-fee credit card · Rakuten Card
A no-annual-fee card that earns Rakuten Points. Eligibility, payment settings, and current reward exclusions should be checked in the issuer disclosures.
No-annual-fee credit card · Marui (Epos)
A no-annual-fee Visa card issued by Epos Card, with Epos Points and partner benefits subject to current terms.
Annual-fee rewards card · American Express International
The canonical record represents the American Express Green Card in Japan, with Membership Rewards and conditional benefits documented by the issuer.
Yes. Approval depends on stable income and residency, not nationality — but your foreign credit history does not transfer, so you start fresh. Accessible first cards include Rakuten Card and Epos Card. Longer residency, a stable job, and having a Japanese bank account improve your odds. A longer-validity residence card also helps.
Issuers generally do not disclose an individual rejection reason, so explanations about income, employment, residency or nationality are speculation. Check that your application was accurate, avoid several reactive applications, and consider requesting your own registered information from CIC or JICC before deciding whether to reapply.
リボ払い (revolving payment) spreads your balance into small monthly payments while charging high effective interest — often around 15% a year. It is sometimes on by default or promoted with point bonuses. For most people it is best avoided: choose 一括払い (pay in full) each month so you pay no interest. Check your card’s payment setting and switch off automatic revolving if you did not intend it.
Compare a first card by stated eligibility, fixed cost, payment settings, and where you can redeem points—not supposed approval ease. Rakuten Card and Epos Card are two no-annual-fee examples with different point programs and card features. The best fit is usually tied to where you already spend. Confirm current terms on the issuer’s site.
Only if you actually use the benefits. Annual-fee cards can pay for themselves through travel insurance, airport-lounge access, higher point multipliers, or concierge services — but if you would not otherwise use those, a no-annual-fee card is better. Add up the concrete value you will use in a year and compare it to the fee.