Living in Japan, there are many situations where a credit card comes in handy, from online shopping and paying your phone bill to signing up for subscriptions.
If you live in Japan and aren’t a Japanese national, you can still get a credit card. However, you’ll need documents such as your residence card when applying, and the card company will screen your application. Card companies’ official pages don’t state their approval criteria, but knowing what the law requires them to check and how credit information works makes it easier to prepare.
In short, if you have a residence card plus an address, bank account, and phone contract in Japan, you can apply for a credit card even if you’re not a Japanese national. Screening looks at your “payment capacity,” which sets limits for revolving and installment payments, and your payment record (credit information). If you’re not approved, you can check your own credit information from 500 yen, and a debit card is another option.
This article is based on official information as of October 2026. Application requirements and fees can change, so check each company’s official pages before applying. It doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be approved.
1. Non-Japanese Residents Can Get Credit Cards
A Sumitomo Mitsui Card column lists the following as conditions for non-Japanese nationals to get a credit card:
- Having a residence card or special permanent resident certificate
- Having an address in Japan
- Having a bank account in Japan
- Having a mobile or landline phone contract
A residence card is issued to people whose period of stay is longer than 3 months (mid- to long-term residents), so short-term visitors such as tourists can’t meet this condition. The column also explains that screening looks at information about the applicant (personal attributes) and credit information.
If you’ve just arrived in Japan, it’s easier to meet these conditions if you first register your residence, then set up a bank account and phone contract before applying. For the steps right after you arrive, see What to Do After Arriving in Japan as a Student (2026).
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(Reference: Sumitomo Mitsui Card column (Japanese) / e-Gov "Immigration Control Act" Article 19-3 (Japanese))
2. Official Application Requirements for Major Cards
Here are examples of application requirements and annual fees listed on card companies’ official pages.
| Card | Application requirements (as stated on official pages) | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| Rakuten Card | People under 18 and people living overseas can’t apply (note on the card’s introduction page) | Free for life |
| PayPay Card | People living in Japan aged 18 or older, with stable, continuous income (the applicant or their spouse), and a mobile phone that supports identity verification | Free for life |
| EPOS Card | People living in Japan aged 18 or older (excluding high school students) | Free (some cards have a fee) |
For every card, you may not be approved depending on the screening results, even if you meet the requirements.
EPOS Card can be picked up the same day
If you apply at an EPOS Card Center, you can receive your EPOS Card the same day. For first-time applicants, even if you apply from a computer or smartphone, you can pick up the card as early as the same day if you choose the EPOS Card Center where you’ll receive it when applying. You need ID to pick it up. Some designs, such as anime cards, aren’t eligible for same-day pickup and are mailed instead.
If you’re unsure about Japanese application forms, applying in person lets you ask about anything you don’t understand on the spot.
(Reference: Rakuten Card "Rakuten Card" (Japanese) / PayPay Card "Application requirements" (Japanese) / PayPay Card "Your first card" (Japanese) / EPOS Card "Who can apply" (Japanese) / EPOS Card "No annual fee" (Japanese) / EPOS Card "Same-day pickup" (Japanese))
3. Documents You Need to Apply
Residence card
Which ID documents you can use depends on the card company and how you receive the card. For example, Rakuten Card lists the following as ID you can show when receiving your card via Sagawa Express (different documents apply if you receive it via Japan Post, for example). ID documents with an expiration date must be valid.
- Driver’s license
- My Number Card
- Residence card
- Special permanent resident certificate
- Passport (issued by the Japanese government; for passports applied for on or after February 4, 2020, supplementary documents such as a utility bill are also required)
Your residence card shows your residence status and the expiration date of your period of stay. Some card companies, like Rakuten Card, ask you to submit your residence card to check your period of stay and other details.
Example: Rakuten Card’s residence card submission
Rakuten Card may ask members without Japanese nationality to submit a copy of both sides of their residence card (or special permanent resident certificate, etc.) to check their period of stay and other details. The company explains that this is part of measures against money laundering and terrorist financing. If you don’t respond by the deadline, the contract may be terminated under the membership terms.
When you receive a request from your card company to submit documents, respond by the deadline.
For the “specified residence card,” which combines the residence card and My Number Card, see Japan’s Specified Residence Card Launches June 2026: Benefits, How to Apply, and What to Know About the Combined Card.
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(Reference: Rakuten Card "Identity verification" (Japanese) / Rakuten Card "Submitting your residence card" (Japanese))
4. What Screening Checks
Payment capacity (Installment Sales Act)
Under the Installment Sales Act, when card companies issue a credit card or increase the limit for revolving, installment, and similar payments, they must investigate the applicant’s annual income, savings, payment status on other credit, borrowing, and other factors to calculate their “comprehensive payment capacity.” In principle, they must not issue a card or increase the limit if the limit exceeds this amount multiplied by a set ratio (0.9, according to JCB). When conducting this investigation, they must use credit information held by a “designated credit bureau.”
JCB explains payment capacity as follows.
| Item | JCB’s explanation |
|---|---|
| Payment capacity | Annual income − scheduled annual payments − living expenses set by law |
| Living expenses | 900,000 to 2.4 million yen, depending on housing and household size |
| Credit limit | Within payment capacity × 0.9 |
According to JCB, “annual income” is the income you declare (including pension and real estate income), and “scheduled annual payments” is the amount of credit you’re scheduled to pay over a year. Living expenses are set as shown below.
| Housing | 1 person | 2 people | 3 people | 4 or more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No mortgage or rent burden | 900,000 yen | 1.36 million yen | 1.69 million yen | 2.0 million yen |
| With mortgage or rent burden | 1.16 million yen | 1.77 million yen | 2.09 million yen | 2.4 million yen |
JCB explains that this check is done not only when you get a new card, but also when your card is renewed at expiration and when you increase your credit limit.
According to JCB, payment capacity sets the limit for revolving, installment, bonus, and similar payments, and doesn’t include one-time (lump-sum) shopping payments.
In other words, if you already have a lot of credit payments compared with your income, a new card’s limit for revolving, installment, and similar payments may be smaller, or you may not be able to get a card. Enter your income and employer information accurately on the application form.
For mortgage screening, see Mortgage in Japan Without Permanent Residency: Buying a Home.
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Different from the “one-third of income” rule for loans
Borrowing money has a separate rule under the Money Lending Business Act. Moneylenders, in principle, must not enter into a contract with an individual that would make the person’s total borrowing from moneylenders exceed one-third of their annual income and similar income. A credit card’s cash advance limit (the limit for borrowing money) is subject to this one-third rule. Shopping with a credit card, on the other hand, isn’t covered by the Money Lending Business Act.
Credit information
Card companies also check the credit information registered with credit bureaus during screening. Credit information is personal information that compiles “records of actual transactions,” such as the details of credit and loan contracts and payment status. In Japan, this record of your credit history is called credit information (shinyo joho).
Japan’s main credit bureaus include CIC (Credit Information Center Corp.) and JICC (Japan Credit Information Reference Center Corp.). CIC is a “designated credit bureau” under both the Installment Sales Act and the Money Lending Business Act, and JICC is one under the Money Lending Business Act. There’s also the Personal Credit Information Center (KSC), set up and run by the Japanese Bankers Association, which registers personal credit information on loans and similar products.
If you’ve just arrived in Japan, you may not have any transaction records in Japan yet. When you sign credit or loan contracts in Japan and keep making payments, the contract details and payment status are recorded as credit information.
(Reference: e-Gov "Installment Sales Act" Articles 30-2 and 30-2-2 (Japanese) / JCB "Credit limit rules" (Japanese) / e-Gov "Money Lending Business Act" Article 13-2 (Japanese) / Financial Services Agency "Money Lending Business Act Q&A" (Japanese) / CIC "What is credit information?" (Japanese) / CIC "Message from the President" (Japanese) / JICC "Designated credit bureau system" (Japanese) / Japanese Bankers Association "Personal Credit Information Center")
5. Checking Your Credit Information (CIC and JICC)
What information is recorded
CIC holds credit information in the following categories.
| Type of information | Contents (CIC’s explanation) |
|---|---|
| Application information | Details registered when you apply for new credit or loans (name, date of birth, product name, planned contract amount, etc.) |
| Credit information | Contract details and payment status for credit and loans (contract date, remaining balance, payment history, late payments, etc.) |
| Usage records | Records of credit companies checking your credit information after the contract to confirm your usage and payment status |
| Self-reported information | Information you’ve reported to CIC yourself (such as comments you’ve submitted) |
How long records are kept
CIC and JICC hold and register credit information for set periods.
| Type of information | CIC | JICC |
|---|---|---|
| Application information | 6 months from the inquiry date | Within 6 months from the inquiry date |
| Contract information | During the contract and for 5 years after it ends | During the contract and within 5 years after it ends (contracts from October 1, 2019) |
Application information stays on record for 6 months from the day the card company checks your credit information.
How to view your own credit information
You can check your own credit information by requesting it yourself (disclosure). It’s a way to make sure there are no problems with your payment records if your application wasn’t approved.
| CIC (online) | CIC (by mail) | JICC (smartphone app) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | 500 yen | 1,500 yen (postal money order, plus its issuing fee) or 1,650 yen (convenience store ticket) | 700 yen (including tax) |
| What you need | My Number Card with a valid signature electronic certificate, a smartphone, the phone number registered with CIC, and an email address | Application form, ID documents, etc. | My Number Card and the PIN for its signature electronic certificate (6 to 16 characters) |
| Payment | PayPay, Rakuten Pay, credit card, or carrier billing | Postal money order or convenience store ticket | Credit card or mobile carrier billing (carrier billing isn’t available from an iPhone) |
| When you get results | On the spot | Sent about 1 week to 10 days after applying | About 1 to 3 days (excluding weekends, holidays, and the New Year period) |
How CIC disclosure by mail works
Even without a My Number Card, you can request disclosure from CIC by mail.
- Fill out the “credit information disclosure request form” (download and print it, or create it online)
- Prepare 2 ID documents (1 from Group A and 1 from Group B. Group A includes the resident record (juminhyo); it must be an original issued within 3 months with the same address as on the form. Group B includes the residence card, special permanent resident certificate, passport, and others. ID documents must be issued by Japanese government offices or similar bodies, so a passport from your home country can’t be used)
- Prepare the fee (1,500 yen with a postal money order plus its issuing fee, or 1,650 yen with a convenience store ticket)
- Send everything to CIC’s mail disclosure center
It takes about 1 week to 10 days from applying until you receive the report. CIC notes that disclosure by mail is currently taking longer than usual. Check CIC’s page for the exact combinations of ID documents.
CIC’s online disclosure is available every day from 8:00 a.m. to 9:45 p.m. (including the New Year holidays). Within 96 hours of your first disclosure, you can view your results again for free.
For how to apply for a My Number Card, see How to Get a My Number Card in Japan: Apply, Pick Up, Renew.
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(Reference: CIC "Credit information held by CIC" (Japanese) / JICC "Credit information and registration periods" (Japanese) / CIC "Information disclosure" (Japanese) / CIC "Online disclosure" (Japanese) / CIC "Disclosure by mail" (Japanese) / JICC "Disclosure requests" (Japanese))
6. If You Can’t Get a Credit Card, Consider a Debit Card
If you weren’t approved for a credit card, or you’re not ready to apply yet, you can use a bank debit card instead. With a debit card, the amount is taken from your bank account when you pay.
For example, you can apply for a Rakuten Bank debit card from age 16. The annual fee is free for Mastercard, JCB, and basic Visa, 2,200 yen (including tax) for Silver Visa, and 5,500 yen (including tax) for Gold Visa.
Debit card requirements vary by bank. Check with the bank where you have an account.
(Reference: Rakuten Bank "Debit card" (Japanese))
7. Things to Watch Out for After You Get a Card
Don’t pay late
If you pay your credit card bill late, it’s recorded in your credit information. As explained in Section 5, contract information stays on record for 5 years after the contract ends. Check your bank balance before the payment date.
Respond if you’re asked to submit your residence card
Some card companies, like Rakuten Card, ask you to submit your residence card to check your period of stay and other details, and say the contract may be terminated if you don’t submit it by the deadline.
Credit cards you can use on PayPay have changed
Since September 1, 2026, the credit cards you can use directly for payments on PayPay are personal cards issued by Sumitomo Mitsui Card (including co-branded cards) and the PayPay Card. To use other cards on PayPay, you need to buy an “other-company card voucher.”
If you plan to use your card with PayPay, keep this in mind when choosing a card.
(Reference: PayPay "Register a credit card" (Japanese) / PayPay "Continuing to use other companies’ credit cards" (Japanese))
FAQ
Q: Can I get a credit card in Japan if I’m not a Japanese national?
A: Yes. A Sumitomo Mitsui Card column lists conditions such as having a residence card or special permanent resident certificate, and having an address, bank account, and phone contract in Japan.
Q: Is it harder to get approved if my period of stay is short?
A: Card companies’ official pages don’t state their screening criteria. However, some card companies, like Rakuten Card, ask you to submit your residence card to check your period of stay and other details.
Q: If I’m not approved, can I apply for another card right away?
A: Application information stays with credit bureaus for 6 months. Before applying again, it’s a good idea to request your credit information and check that there are no problems with your payment records.
Q: How can I check my own credit information?
A: You can request disclosure from CIC online (500 yen) or by mail (1,500 or 1,650 yen), or from JICC through its smartphone app (700 yen). CIC’s online disclosure and JICC’s app require a My Number Card.
Q: What can I do if I can’t get a credit card?
A: You can use a bank debit card. The amount is taken from your account when you pay, and requirements vary by bank.
Key Takeaways
- ✅ Non-Japanese residents can get credit cards. Set up your residence card, Japanese address, bank account, and phone contract first
- ✅ Check each card’s application requirements on its official page. Rakuten Card and PayPay Card are free for life, and EPOS Card is also free (some cards have a fee)
- ✅ Screening checks payment capacity and credit information. Enter your income and employer accurately
- ✅ You can view your own credit information. CIC costs 500 yen online and from 1,500 yen by mail; JICC’s app costs 700 yen
- ✅ If you can’t get a credit card, a debit card is an option
- ✅ After you get a card, don’t pay late. If your card company asks for your residence card, respond by the deadline
Card companies’ official pages don’t state their approval criteria, but meeting the requirements, preparing your documents, and building a solid payment record all matter. If anything is unclear, contact the card company you’re applying to.
