In Japan, more and more places let you pay without cash, from convenience stores and supermarkets to train stations and vending machines. There are several ways to pay: code payments with a smartphone app, IC transit cards you can also ride trains with, and tap-to-pay with credit cards.
You can use PayPay even without Japanese citizenship. However, you need a Japanese mobile number to sign up, and you need ID verification (eKYC) to withdraw your balance and for some ways of receiving money.
If you’ve just moved to Japan, though, signing up can be the hard part. You may need a Japanese mobile number, a bank account, or an ID check with your residence card. In 2026, PayPay also changed how credit card payments and residence card ID checks work.
In this guide, we cover the following, based on official sources:
- Where cashless payments in Japan stand today
- Types of cashless payment, and what to set up first after you move
- PayPay: signing up, ID verification (eKYC), topping up, and the 2026 credit card changes
- Suica, Mobile Suica, and the new “teppay” service
- Riding trains with credit card tap-to-pay
- Other code payment apps, and the end of LINE Pay
- What to do when something goes wrong
This article is based on official information as of October 2026. Services and conditions can change, so check each service’s official pages before signing up or using it.
1. Where Cashless Payments in Japan Stand Today
According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan’s cashless payment ratio in 2025 was 58.0%, with cashless payments totaling 162.7 trillion yen. Starting with the 2025 figures, METI made a new “domestic indicator” its main indicator. Under the previous indicator used for international comparison, the ratio was 46.3%.
Here’s the breakdown of cashless payments by value.
| Type | Share | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 82.7% | 134.6 trillion yen |
| Code payments | 10.2% | 16.6 trillion yen |
| Electronic money | 3.7% | 6.0 trillion yen |
| Debit cards | 3.4% | 5.5 trillion yen |
The government aims to raise the cashless payment ratio to 65% by 2030, and to 80% in the future.
(Reference: METI "Cashless Payment Ratio for 2025 Calculated" (Japanese))
By value, credit cards make up most of the total, but for small everyday purchases at places like convenience stores and restaurants, code payments and IC transit cards are also used.
2. Types of Cashless Payment and What to Set Up First
The main types
| Type | Examples | How to use | What you mainly need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code payments | PayPay, d Barai, Rakuten Pay | Scan or show a QR code or barcode in the app | A Japanese mobile number (verification by SMS or phone call) |
| IC transit cards | Suica, PASMO | Tap the card or your phone on the reader | Buy a card, or a phone that supports Mobile Suica |
| Credit and debit cards | Visa, Mastercard, JCB, etc. | Insert or tap | A card |
| Electronic money | iD, QUICPay, etc. | Tap your phone or card | A supported card or phone |
What to set up first after you move
If you can’t get a Japanese mobile number or bank account right away, this order works well.
- What you can use right away: tap-to-pay with the credit or debit card you already have, and IC transit cards
- Once you have a Japanese mobile number: sign up for a code payment app like PayPay
- Once you have your residence card and a bank account: complete PayPay’s ID verification (eKYC) and register your bank account
You can start using PayPay without ID verification by topping up with cash at an ATM (explained in Section 4).
3. PayPay: From Signup to ID Verification
PayPay is a code payment app you use on your smartphone. As of August 9, 2026, it had more than 75 million registered users.
(Reference: PayPay "PayPay Registered Users Top 75 Million!" (Japanese))
What you need
To use PayPay, you need:
- The PayPay app
- A smartphone that can receive SMS verification (tablets such as iPads aren’t supported)
- A Japanese mobile number
Mobile numbers from other countries can’t be used. Data-only SIMs may not support SMS, so check whether your SIM can receive text messages.
(Reference: PayPay Help "What do I need to use PayPay?" (Japanese) / PayPay Help "I’m not receiving the SMS verification code" (Japanese))
To sign up, download the app, enter your Japanese mobile number, and confirm it with the verification code sent by SMS.
ID verification (eKYC)
PayPay has an in-app ID verification process (eKYC). You can apply even if you don’t have Japanese citizenship.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Documents for people whose period of stay isn’t indefinite | My Number Card, residence card, or special permanent resident certificate |
| Residence card requirement | At least 90 days left before it expires when you apply |
| Non-Japanese nationals under 16 | My Number Card only |
| What verification unlocks | Registering a bank account, and using PayPay Money |
To verify with a residence card, you need an NFC-capable smartphone. If your period of stay has an end date and you verify with a My Number Card, you can’t use the method that requires entering a PIN to use the signature electronic certificate (public personal authentication). Instead, you verify by reading the IC chip or by face recognition with the My Number Card.
(Reference: PayPay Help "About ID verification (eKYC)" (Japanese) / PayPay Help "I can’t complete ID verification (eKYC)" (Japanese))
For the time being, residence cards and special permanent resident certificates issued on or after June 14, 2026 can’t be used for PayPay’s ID verification. If you enter the number, you may see a message saying the number is incorrect (入力した番号に誤りがあります). If you need to verify right away, use your My Number Card. PayPay plans to announce when it will start accepting these cards. (Reference: PayPay "Important: ID verification (eKYC) with residence cards and special permanent resident certificates issued on or after June 14, 2026" (Japanese) / PayPay Help "I can’t complete ID verification (eKYC)" (Japanese))
For how to apply for a My Number Card, see How to Get a My Number Card in Japan: Apply, Pick Up, Renew. For the “specified residence card,” which combines the residence card and My Number Card and started in June 2026, 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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PayPay Money and PayPay Money Lite
PayPay balances come in two types: PayPay Money, which you can withdraw, and PayPay Money Lite, which you can’t. Balance you top up before ID verification becomes Money Lite. Money Lite you already have doesn’t turn into Money after you verify.
(Reference: PayPay Help "What are PayPay Balance (Money, Money Lite) and PayPay Points?" (Japanese))
If you plan to withdraw your balance to a Japanese bank account, it’s a good idea to finish ID verification before you top up.
When your period of stay is close to ending
If your period of stay has an end date, you may see a message asking you to update your ID information when you try to pay, top up, or withdraw, for example when your period of stay is close to ending. If so, update it with your My Number Card, residence card, or special permanent resident certificate.
If you don’t update it within the period you’re given, your use of PayPay may be restricted. If you’re returning home because your period of stay has ended, PayPay asks you to close your PayPay account.
(Reference: PayPay Help "If your period of stay has expired" (Japanese))
4. Topping Up and Paying with PayPay
Topping up with cash (ATM)
You can top up your PayPay balance with cash at Seven Bank ATMs and Lawson Bank ATMs. There’s no fee, and you don’t need a Seven Bank or Lawson Bank account.
- At the ATM, choose the smartphone transaction option (スマートフォンでの取引) (on some ATMs, “Charge” (チャージ) or “QR Charge” (QRチャージ))
- In the PayPay app, tap [+] on the home screen and choose [ATM Charge]
- Scan the QR code shown on the ATM screen
- Enter the number shown in the app into the ATM
- Insert your bills to top up
If you’ve completed ID verification, the top-up becomes PayPay Money. If not, it becomes PayPay Money Lite.
(Reference: PayPay Help "I want to top up with cash (how to top up at Seven Bank and Lawson Bank ATMs)" (Japanese))
This way, you can start using PayPay even before you have a Japanese bank account. Seven Bank and Lawson Bank ATMs are sometimes located in convenience stores. For what else you can do at a convenience store, see Your First Stop in Japan: The Complete Japanese Convenience Store (Konbini) Guide for Food, Shopping & Everyday Life.
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Topping up from a bank account
After ID verification, you can register a bank account and top up directly from it. The documents you need to open a bank account in Japan vary by bank, so check the bank’s own guidance.
Paying by credit card: changes from September 2026
Only Visa and Mastercard credit cards can be registered with PayPay. Prepaid cards and credit cards issued outside Japan may not be accepted.
(Reference: PayPay Help "I can’t register my credit card" (Japanese))
On top of that, since September 1, 2026, the only credit cards you can pay with directly on PayPay are personal cards issued by Sumitomo Mitsui Card (including co-branded cards). To use any other card, you need to buy an “other-company card voucher” (tasha kado riyoken). The PayPay Card can still be used directly as “PayPay Credit.”
| Item | Other-company card voucher |
|---|---|
| Fees | None when buying or using it |
| Units | 10,000 yen at a time |
| Purchase limit | 250,000 yen per month |
| Card brands | Visa and Mastercard |
| Requirement | 3D Secure (online card authentication) |
| Where you can use it | Payments at PayPay merchants (some, such as online merchants, are excluded) |
| PayPay Step | Not eligible for points |
(Reference: PayPay Help "I can’t pay with my credit card" (Japanese) / PayPay "How to keep using credit cards from other companies" (Japanese) / PayPay Help "About other-company card vouchers" (Japanese))
Credit card payments also have limits. Cards without 3D Secure can’t be used, and cards with it can be used up to 20,000 yen per 24 hours and 50,000 yen per 30 days. With the “Excellent User Badge” (yuryo badge) displayed, the limit is 250,000 yen for both 24 hours and 30 days.
(Reference: PayPay Help "Credit card spending limits" (Japanese))
Paying utility bills and taxes (bill payment)
You can also pay bills you’d normally pay at a convenience store by scanning their barcode or QR code in the PayPay app. This covers utilities such as electricity, gas, and water, as well as taxes and National Pension contributions.
| What you’re paying | Balance and payment methods you can use |
|---|---|
| Taxes and National Pension contributions | PayPay Money, PayPay Money (salary), PayPay Credit |
| Utilities and other bills | All of the above, plus PayPay Money Lite and PayPay Points |
Some payees may charge a fee. Bill payments don’t earn usage reward points.
(Reference: PayPay "Pay your bills with PayPay!" (Japanese))
To pay taxes or National Pension contributions, you’ll need PayPay Money (which requires ID verification) or one of the other listed methods. You can also pay taxes and National Pension contributions with PayPay Credit. Note that you can’t pay bills with PayPay at a convenience store register.
Sending and receiving money with friends
With PayPay, you can send balance to friends and family and receive it from them. Since June 18, 2026, you need ID verification (eKYC) to receive balance in the following ways.
| Now requires ID verification | Still works without ID verification |
|---|---|
| Receiving through a payment request link | Sending balance |
| Receiving by showing your My Code | Receiving to your phone number or PayPay ID |
| Receiving through a request link made in the LINE app |
(Reference: PayPay "ID verification (eKYC) now required to receive balance via payment request links and My Code" (Japanese))
If you sometimes receive money when splitting a bill, finish ID verification early.
Points (PayPay Step) also depend on ID verification
PayPay has a program called “PayPay Step” that raises your point rate based on how often and how much you used PayPay the previous month. Since June 2, 2026, users who haven’t completed ID verification don’t receive PayPay Step points or the higher point rate. The condition is 30 or more payments of 200 yen or more, totaling at least 100,000 yen in a month, which raises the next month’s rate by 0.5%.
If you want to earn points, finishing ID verification makes you eligible for the higher rate when you meet the conditions.
5. Suica and Mobile Suica
Suica is JR East’s IC transit card. Besides trains and buses, you can use it at station shops, convenience stores, vending machines, and more. There’s the physical Suica card and Mobile Suica, which you use on your phone.
Welcome Suica Mobile is for visitors
“Welcome Suica Mobile” is an iPhone app for travelers visiting Japan. It can’t be used after 180 days from issue, and any remaining balance isn’t refunded. If you live in Japan, a regular Suica or Mobile Suica can be used for longer.
(Reference: JR East "Welcome Suica Mobile")
“teppay” starts October 20, 2026
From 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, JR East is rolling out a new code payment service called “teppay” in stages. It’s added automatically to the Mobile Suica app, and if you verify your ID with your My Number Card, you can pay up to 300,000 yen from your teppay balance. Until now, Suica top-ups have been capped at 20,000 yen. Mobile PASMO plans to support it from spring 2027.
6. Riding Trains with Credit Card Tap-to-Pay
In the Kanto region, since March 25, 2026, you can ride trains across 11 railway operators with a “pay-later ride service” using credit card tap-to-pay. It covers 54 lines and 729 stations.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Railway operators | Odakyu Electric Railway, Odakyu Hakone, Keio, Keikyu, Sagami Railway, Seibu, Tokyu, Tokyo Metro, Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei Subway), Tobu, Yokohama Minatomirai Railway |
| What you can use | Tap-to-pay credit, debit, and prepaid cards, and smartphones set up with those cards |
The covered lines and stations differ by operator, and for some operators, only some stations have ticket gates that accept tap-to-pay. Only adult fares apply; there are no child fares.
(Reference: Tokyo Metro "Mutual use of pay-later ride services with credit card tap-to-pay on the lines of 11 Kanto railway operators starts Wednesday, March 25, 2026" (Japanese) / Tokyo Metro "Mutual use of pay-later ride services with credit card tap-to-pay on the lines of 11 Kanto railway operators starts Wednesday, March 25, 2026" (attachment, Japanese, PDF))
If your card supports tap-to-pay, you can ride these lines even before you get an IC transit card. Some railways, such as JR East lines, aren’t included, so check the station signs before you ride. If you commute to work or school every day, an IC transit card that can hold a commuter pass may be more convenient.
7. Other Code Payment Apps and the End of LINE Pay
d Barai and Rakuten Pay
| Service | Main conditions |
|---|---|
| d Barai | Works without a docomo phone plan. You use it with a d ACCOUNT and a Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or JCB card (3D Secure required). If you don’t have a docomo plan, you need to register a contact mobile number to your d ACCOUNT |
| Rakuten Pay | Phone number verification is required during initial setup (you call a designated number, and the call is free) |
(Reference: d Barai "d Card / Other Credit Cards" (Japanese) / d Barai "Who is required to register a contact mobile number?" (Japanese) / Rakuten Pay "How to Sign Up and Initial Setup" (Japanese))
Which code payment apps you can use depends on the store. Look for the logos posted near the register to see which services are accepted.
LINE Pay ended in April 2025
LINE Pay’s services in Japan ended by April 30, 2025. Even if older articles or blogs still recommend LINE Pay, you can no longer start using it.
(Reference: LY Corporation "Notice of the End of LINE Pay Services in Japan" (Japanese))
8. Keep a Little Cash on Hand
More and more places accept cashless payments, but some shops only take cash. If you don’t see any payment logos near the register, ask the staff before you pay.
Even once you’re used to paying cashless, keeping a little cash in your wallet gives you peace of mind.
9. What to Do When Something Goes Wrong
The SMS verification code doesn’t arrive
Data-only SIMs may not support SMS. Check with your mobile carrier whether your SIM can receive text messages.
(Reference: PayPay Help "I’m not receiving the SMS verification code" (Japanese))
ID verification with your residence card doesn’t work
First, check these two things:
- Whether your residence card has at least 90 days left before it expires when you apply
- Whether your residence card was issued on or after June 14, 2026 (these can’t be used for now, so use your My Number Card)
If you’ve applied to extend your period of stay and the back of your residence card or the Immigration Services Agency’s email confirming receipt of your online application shows that your application is in progress, you can use PayPay for up to 2 months after your period of stay expires. This requires an individual procedure, so contact PayPay support.
(Reference: PayPay Help "I can’t complete ID verification (eKYC)" (Japanese))
You can’t register or use your credit card
- Cards issued outside Japan and prepaid cards may not be accepted
- Since September 1, 2026, cards other than personal cards issued by Sumitomo Mitsui Card (including co-branded cards) require an “other-company card voucher”
- Cards without 3D Secure can’t be used for payments
If your card doesn’t work, topping up with cash at an ATM is another option.
FAQ
Q: Can I use PayPay without a Japanese mobile number?
A: No. To sign up for PayPay, you need a Japanese mobile number that can receive SMS verification. Mobile numbers from other countries can’t be used.
Q: Can I use PayPay without a Japanese bank account?
A: Yes. You can top up with cash at Seven Bank and Lawson Bank ATMs. However, if you haven’t completed ID verification, the balance you top up becomes PayPay Money Lite, which can’t be withdrawn.
Q: I got a new residence card in 2026. Can I use it for PayPay’s ID verification?
A: For the time being, residence cards issued on or after June 14, 2026 can’t be used for PayPay’s ID verification. Use your My Number Card instead. PayPay plans to announce when it will start accepting these residence cards.
Q: Can I use a credit card from my home country on PayPay?
A: Credit cards issued outside Japan may not be accepted. Also, since September 1, 2026, you need to buy an “other-company card voucher” to pay with any card other than personal cards issued by Sumitomo Mitsui Card (including co-branded cards). The PayPay Card can still be used directly as “PayPay Credit.”
Q: Can I use Welcome Suica Mobile if I live in Japan?
A: It’s an app for travelers. It can’t be used after 180 days from issue, and any remaining balance isn’t refunded. If you live in Japan, a regular Suica or Mobile Suica can be used for longer.
Q: Can I still use LINE Pay?
A: No. LINE Pay’s services in Japan ended by April 30, 2025.
Key Takeaways
- ✅ Japan’s cashless payment ratio was 58.0% in 2025. By value, credit cards make up over 80%
- ✅ PayPay requires a Japanese mobile number. Even without a bank account, you can start with cash top-ups at ATMs
- ✅ Verify your ID with your residence card or My Number Card. Residence cards issued on or after June 14, 2026 can’t be used for now
- ✅ Since September 2026, personal cards issued by Sumitomo Mitsui Card (including co-branded cards) are the only credit cards you can pay with directly on PayPay. Other cards need an “other-company card voucher”
- ✅ You can ride trains on 11 Kanto operators with tap-to-pay. From October 20, “teppay” joins Mobile Suica
- ✅ LINE Pay has ended. Keeping a little cash on hand is still a good idea
We recommend starting with tap-to-pay on the card you already have and an IC transit card, then signing up for PayPay once you have a Japanese mobile number. If you’re unsure about signing up or ID verification, check each service’s help pages.
