# Credit cards for foreigners in Japan: what you can realistically get

URL: https://japanhow.com/money/cards/credit-card-for-foreigners-japan/
Author: japanhow editors
Updated: Oct 20, 2026

## Summary

Foreign residents can get a Japanese credit card. Issuers generally want a stay of 3 months or more, a residence card, a Japanese address, a Japanese bank account and a phone number. No issuer publishes approval rates by visa or months in Japan. As of October 2026, Rakuten Card scores highest here (7.4/10) thanks to its English app, then Epos (7.1), which checks your residence card on every renewal. All 8 cards compared have no annual fee. A bank debit card is the fallback.

## Key facts

- Usual minimum: Residence card, address, bank account, phone
- Annual fee: ¥0 (Saison: ¥1,650 if unused a year)
- English app: Rakuten Card Lite
- If declined: Debit card from your bank

Yes, you can get a credit card in Japan as a foreigner. Issuers generally ask that you **stay in Japan 3 months or more** and have a **residence card (在留カード)**, a Japanese address, a Japanese bank account and a phone number. You don't need permanent residency (永住). As of October 2026, **no issuer publishes approval rates** by visa type or months in Japan. So this guide compares 8 no-annual-fee cards on what they do publish: who can apply, fees, English support and features.

**What issuers publish about approval odds for foreigners:** Nothing (None of the 8 issuers' pages we checked publish approval rates; they say screening (審査) applies. Claims of easy approval come from blogs, not issuers.)

## Can foreigners get a credit card in Japan?

Yes. Sumitomo Mitsui Card (三井住友カード) says in a March 2026 guide that foreigners who meet its conditions can get a Japanese card. The conditions it lists:

- you stay in Japan **3 months or more**. Short trips and stays under 3 months don't qualify, even with a passport and visa.
- you hold a **residence card** or a special permanent resident certificate (特別永住者証明書)
- you have an **address in Japan**, registered at your city office within 14 days of moving in
- you have a **Japanese bank account** for the monthly payment
- you have a **mobile or landline phone number**

The same guide says you may be asked for income documents such as pay slips. It also says the issuer may phone your employer to confirm you work there (在籍確認). This is general information. Sumitomo Mitsui Card says it does not disclose its screening criteria.

## What do issuers check when you apply?

Screening looks mainly at your personal details (本人属性) and your **credit information (信用情報)**, according to Sumitomo Mitsui Card. If you're new to Japan, your Japanese credit file is short or empty.

You can see your own file at CIC (シー・アイ・シー), one of Japan's credit bureaus. It shows your contracts with member companies, your payment status, your balances and your application records. Online disclosure costs **¥500**. By post it costs **¥1,500** and takes about 1 week to 10 days.

Sumitomo Mitsui Card suggests setting the cash advance limit (キャッシング枠) to **¥0** when you apply. Saison advises answering the card company's calls during screening in Japanese.

**Your residence card period matters:** Some issuers want enough time left on your residence card. Credit Saison's own guide says **Saison Card International** needs a residence card valid for **6 months or more**, plus a Japanese bank account. Saison's product page doesn't repeat this rule, so check your remaining period before you apply.

## Which credit cards can foreign residents apply for?

All 8 cards below have no annual fee. Saison is the one exception with a condition: it charges a ¥1,650 card service fee if you don't use the card for 12 months. Published conditions are as of October 2026.

| Card | Published conditions | Base points | Brands | Overseas fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Rakuten Card** | 18+, living in Japan | 1% | Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex | 3.63% |
| **Epos Card** | Residents of Japan only | 0.5% | Visa | not published on pages we checked |
| **Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL)** | 18+, not high school | 0.5% | Visa, Mastercard | 3.63% |
| **Amazon Mastercard** | 18+, not high school | 1.0% | Mastercard | not covered by 2024 SMBC change; rate not shown |
| **d card** | 18+, not high school, own-name bank account, d account | 1% | Visa, Mastercard | not published on pages we checked |
| **AEON Card** | 18+ | 0.5% | not stated in our source | not published on pages we checked |
| **JCB Card W** | 18–39, stable income (you or spouse) or student | 1.0% | JCB | not published on pages we checked |
| **Saison Card International** | 18+, partner bank account; residence card valid 6+ months (Saison guide) | 1 point per ¥1,000 | Visa, Mastercard, JCB | not published on pages we checked |

The overseas fee (海外事務手数料) is what the issuer adds when you pay in a foreign currency. Rakuten Card raised it from 2.20% to 3.63% on March 1, 2025. Sumitomo Mitsui Card did the same for Visa and Mastercard from November 1, 2024.

## How do the cards score for newcomers?

We score banks and cards with the same published method: **can a newcomer get it** (visa, months in Japan, residence-card period) 35%, **fees** 20%, **English app and support** 20%, and **features foreigners need** such as overseas use and online management 25%. Each criterion is 0 to 10.

Approval odds aren't published, so the first criterion scores only what issuers publish: how low the stated bar is and how clear the residence-card rules are. It doesn't predict whether you'll be approved. The full method is on our methodology page.

| Card | Newcomer access (35%) | Fees (20%) | English (20%) | Features (25%) | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Rakuten Card** | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | **7.4** |
| **Epos Card** | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | **7.1** |
| **Amazon Mastercard** | 7 | 7 | 2 | 7 | **6.0** |
| **d card** | 7 | 6 | 2 | 7 | **5.8** |
| **Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL)** | 7 | 7 | 3 | 5 | **5.7** |
| **AEON Card** | 7 | 7 | 2 | 5 | **5.5** |
| **Saison Card International** | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | **5.3** |
| **JCB Card W** | 4 | 7 | 2 | 6 | **4.7** |

Why each card scored as it did:

- **Rakuten Card:** low published bar, 1% points, four brands and a free English app, Rakuten Card Lite. The overseas fee is 3.63%.
- **Epos Card:** an English FAQ on residence-card rules, same-day issue at Epos Card Centers, and a foreigner-only version through GTN. Base points are 0.5%.
- **Amazon Mastercard:** 1.0% points (more on Amazon.co.jp and at convenience stores), but no English application or support is stated.
- **d card:** 1% points, but no English support is stated, and Docomo plans to review points and the annual fee from December 2026.
- **Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL):** low bar and 3.63% overseas fee, with only a website translation feature in English. Base points are 0.5%.
- **AEON Card:** instant issue through the AEON Pay app, but no English support is stated, and AEON Card Select needs an AEON Bank account.
- **Saison Card International:** the only card with a published 6-month residence-card rule. It says it offers multilingual support at application. You pay ¥1,650 if you don't use it for a year.
- **JCB Card W:** 1.0% points, but only for ages 18–39 with stable income or student status, and no English support is stated.

## Which card is best for you?

- **Best if you want English:** Rakuten Card. Rakuten Card Lite shows statements, billing and your credit limit in English, and Rakuten AI translates statements. Rakuten notes that customer service may not be available in English.
- **Best if you're very new to Japan:** the GTN EPOS Card. GTN describes it as a card only for foreigners, with support in up to 25 languages. You apply when you sign up for a GTN Mobile SIM. If Epos declines the card, only the SIM ships.
- **Best for points on everyday spend:** d card or Rakuten Card (1%), or Amazon Mastercard if you shop on Amazon.co.jp.
- **Best if you shop at AEON:** AEON Card, with instant issue through the AEON Pay app.

None of these picks is paid for. We have no affiliate links on this page.

## How do you apply as a foreigner?

Have your [Japanese bank account](/money/banking/bank-account-for-foreigners-japan/) open first, since every card here pays from one. A Japanese phone number also matters; see our guide to a [SIM card for foreigners in Japan](/phone-internet/mobile/sim-card-for-foreigners-japan/).

## What happens when your residence card expires?

Card issuers keep checking your status. **Rakuten Card** asks members without Japanese nationality for a copy of both sides of their residence card, as part of anti-money-laundering checks. If you don't send it, Rakuten may end your contract.

**Epos** cites the Financial Services Agency (金融庁) anti-money-laundering guidelines of February 2018. It checks your status and period of stay continuously. Two months before the expiry date on file, Epos emails or texts you a request for your renewed card. If you don't submit it, or that date passes, Epos restricts your card.

**Leaving Japan:** Epos says its cards are for residents of Japan only. Cancel your Epos card before you leave. Rakuten Card doesn't accept applications from people living overseas.

## What if you're declined? Debit cards as a fallback

A debit card (デビットカード) takes each payment straight from your bank account balance, so you can only spend what's in the account. Both cards below come with the bank account.

| Debit card | Annual fee | Rewards | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Rakuten Bank Debit (Mastercard or JCB)** | Free | 1 Rakuten point per ¥100 | From age 16; can be ordered when you open a Rakuten Bank account |
| **Sony Bank WALLET (Visa debit)** | Free | 0.5% to 2% cashback by Club S stage | Pays in 11 currencies from Sony Bank foreign-currency accounts |

Account-opening rules for Rakuten Bank and Sony Bank are in our [bank account guide](/money/banking/bank-account-for-foreigners-japan/).

## More guides

- [How to open a bank account in Japan as a foreigner](/money/banking/bank-account-for-foreigners-japan/)
- [Sending money home from Japan](/money/remittance/send-money-from-japan/)
- [SIM cards for foreigners in Japan](/phone-internet/mobile/sim-card-for-foreigners-japan/)

## Questions people ask

### Can foreigners get a credit card in Japan?

Yes. Sumitomo Mitsui Card says a foreigner can get a Japanese card if they stay in Japan 3 months or more and have a residence card, a Japanese address, a Japanese bank account and a phone number. Screening then looks at your details and credit history.

### What is the easiest credit card for foreigners in Japan?

Nobody can honestly say, because no issuer publishes approval rates by visa or time in Japan. Cards with low published bars include Rakuten Card (18+, living in Japan), Epos (residents of Japan), AEON Card (18+) and Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL) (18+, not high school).

### What are Rakuten Card's requirements for foreigners?

Rakuten Card is open to people 18 and over who live in Japan, subject to screening. Members without Japanese nationality are asked to submit a copy of both sides of their residence card, and Rakuten may end the contract if it isn't submitted.

### What is Rakuten Card's foreign transaction fee?

3.63% (tax included) on Visa, Mastercard, JCB and American Express since March 1, 2025, up from 2.20%.

### What happens to my Japanese credit card when my residence card expires?

Issuers ask for the renewed card. Epos emails or texts you two months before the expiry date it has on file and restricts the card if you don't submit the new one or pass that date.

## Sources

- [外国人でもクレジットカードは作れる？](https://www.smbc-card.com/nyukai/magazine/knowledge/credit-card_foreigner.jsp), Sumitomo Mitsui Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [外国人がクレジットカードを作るには](https://www.saisoncard.co.jp/credictionary/knowledge/article107.html), Credit Saison (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [セゾンカードインターナショナル](https://www.saisoncard.co.jp/creditcard/lineup/001/), Credit Saison (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [楽天カード](https://www.rakuten-card.co.jp/card/rakuten-card/), Rakuten Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [在留カード等の提出について](https://www.rakuten-card.co.jp/support/guide/residencecard/), Rakuten Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [海外事務手数料改定のお知らせ](https://www.rakuten-card.co.jp/info/news/comission/20241217/), Rakuten Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Rakuten Card releases English language app Rakuten Card Lite](https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2024/0717_02.html), Rakuten Group (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [三井住友カード（NL）](https://www.smbc-card.com/nyukai/card/numberless.jsp), Sumitomo Mitsui Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [海外事務処理手数料改定のお知らせ](https://www.smbc-card.com/mem/cardinfo/cardinfo4010839.jsp), Sumitomo Mitsui Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Olive フレキシブルペイ 海外事務処理手数料改定](https://www.smbc-card.com/olive_flexible_pay/info/info0000001.jsp), Sumitomo Mitsui Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Olive](https://www.smbc.co.jp/kojin/olive/), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Amazon Mastercardのお申込み](https://www.smbc-card.com/nyukai/affiliate/amazon/index.jsp), Sumitomo Mitsui Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [イオンカード（WAON一体型）](https://www.aeon.co.jp/card/lineup/aeoncardwaon/), AEON Financial Service (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [イオンカードセレクト](https://www.aeon.co.jp/card/lineup/select/), AEON Financial Service (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [エポスカード](https://www.eposcard.co.jp/cm2014/index.html), Epos Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [エポスカードはどんなカードですか？](https://faq.eposcard.co.jp/faq/show/8?site_domain=default), Epos Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [I am leaving Japan without extending my residency](https://faq.eposcard.co.jp/faq/show/2863?site_domain=default), Epos Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Do I have to present my Residence Card every time it expires?](https://faq.eposcard.co.jp/faq/show/2938?site_domain=default), Epos Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Can I use the EPOS Card without presenting my Residence Card?](https://faq.eposcard.co.jp/faq/show/2865?site_domain=default), Epos Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Why do I need to present my Residence Card?](https://faq.eposcard.co.jp/faq/show/2864?site_domain=default), Epos Card (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [GTN EPOS Card](http://www.gtn-mobile.com/s/epos?language=en_US), GTN Mobile (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [JCBカードW](https://www.jcb.co.jp/promotion/ordercard/w/index4.html), JCB (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [dカード](https://dcard.docomo.ne.jp/st/dcard_dcard/index.html), NTT Docomo (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [楽天銀行デビットカード](https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/debit-card/), Rakuten Bank (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [Sony Bank WALLET](https://sonybank.jp/products/sbw/), Sony Bank (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [優遇プログラム Club S](https://sonybank.jp/products/clubs/01.html), Sony Bank (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- [情報開示とは](https://www.cic.co.jp/mydata/index.html), CIC (accessed Oct 20, 2026)