# Debit cards for foreigners in Japan, compared

URL: https://japanhow.com/money/cards/debit-card-japan-foreigners/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 24, 2026

## Summary

A debit card in Japan comes with your bank account and spends only your balance, so the hard part for a foreigner is opening the account. As of October 2026, the standard bank cards compared have no annual fee and, where an age is published, start at 15 or 16 for residents of Japan. Wise scores highest (7.6/10), then Seven Bank (7.3) and Japan Post Bank (6.9). Overseas fees run from 0% (Sony Bank, in 10 currencies) to 4.0%. Expect refusals at highway tolls, gas stations and for phone installments.

## Key facts

- Minimum age: 15 or 16 where published
- Annual fee: ¥0 on standard bank cards
- Overseas fee: 0% to 4.0%
- Often refused: Tolls, gas, some bills, phone installments

A debit card in Japan (デビットカード) takes each payment straight from your bank account, so you don't need a Japanese credit history. You need the account. As of October 2026, the **standard bank debit cards compared here have no annual fee** and, where banks publish an age, are open to **residents of Japan from age 15 or 16**. You order the card with the account or add it later.

**What you need for a bank debit card:** The bank account (Every bank card here comes with that bank's account. Most banks want 3+ months left on your residence card (在留カード), as of October 2026.)

## Can foreigners get a debit card in Japan?

Yes. The debit card pages we checked set two conditions and say nothing extra about nationality: you **live in Japan** and you meet an **age minimum**. PayPay Bank compares its Visa debit with credit cards and says there is no screening (入会審査) for the debit card.

The real gate is the bank account. Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行) wants **more than 3 months left on your residence card** and Seven Bank at least 3 months; neither sets a 6-month rule for its standard route (Seven Bank's online route asks newcomers under 6 months for proof of a job). Sony Bank wants **6 months in Japan** before foreigners can open an account. MUFG asks foreigners to apply at a branch with a seal (印鑑). Our [bank account guide](/money/banking/bank-account-for-foreigners-japan/) has the full rules.

Wise works differently. It verifies long-term visa holders with a **My Number card**, or with a **residence card** plus a My Number document such as a residence record (住民票) issued in the last 6 months. Your name, date of birth and address must match exactly on all of them.

## Which debit cards can you get?

Published conditions and fees, as of October 2026:

| Card | Brand | Minimum age | Annual fee | Rewards | Overseas fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょデビット)** | Visa | 15 (not junior high) | ¥0 | 0.25% cashback | 4.0% |
| **Sony Bank WALLET** | Visa | not stated on pages we checked | ¥0 | 0.5% to 2.0% cashback | 0% in 10 currencies, else 1.79% |
| **Rakuten Bank Debit** | Mastercard, JCB, Visa | 16 | ¥0 (Silver ¥2,200, Gold ¥5,500) | 1 point per ¥100 | 3.080% |
| **SMBC (Olive Flexible Pay)** | Visa, iD | 15 for SMBC Debit; Olive not stated | ¥0 (Olive 一般) | see note below | 3.63% |
| **MUFG Visa Debit** | Visa | 15 (not junior high) | ¥0 | 0.20% cashback | 3.05% |
| **PayPay Bank Visa Debit** | Visa | not confirmed | ¥0 | no standing rate published | not published on pages we checked |
| **Seven Bank Debit** | JCB | 16 | ¥0 | 0.5% nanaco points | 3.0% |
| **Wise card** | not stated | not stated | ¥1,200 one-time card fee | none | no overseas fee; conversion fee applies |

The overseas fee (海外事務手数料) is added when you pay in a foreign currency. Overseas ATM withdrawals cost ¥110 each at Japan Post Bank, SMBC, MUFG and Seven Bank, plus any fee the ATM owner charges.

SMBC now issues **Olive Flexible Pay** for new debit applications. It switches between credit, debit and points modes in the app. The older SMBC Debit gave 0.5% V points or 0.25% cashback; we couldn't confirm Olive's standard rate in debit mode.

## How do the debit cards score for newcomers?

We use the same published method as for banks and credit cards: **can a newcomer get it** (35%), **fees** (20%), **English app and support** (20%) and **features foreigners need** (25%). Each criterion is scored 0 to 10, and `n/a` means no evidence. A card gets an overall score only when at least 75% of the weights have evidence.

How 0 to 10 maps for each criterion:

- **Newcomer access:** 10 = any resident with a residence card can get it in the first weeks, online. 5 = needs 6 months in Japan or a job. Branch-only routes score lower.
- **Fees:** 10 = no annual fee and no overseas fee. About 1 point off per 1% of overseas fee, and 1 point off for a card fee or an unpublished conversion fee.
- **English:** 10 = English app, application and support. 0 = Japanese only.
- **Features:** 10 = rewards of 1% or more, multi-currency or cheap transfers home, and few payment exclusions.

| Card | Newcomer (35%) | Fees (20%) | English (20%) | Features (25%) | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **[Wise card](https://wise.com/jp/card/)** | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | **7.6** |
| **[Seven Bank Debit](https://www.sevenbank.co.jp/english/personal/account/jcb_debit/)** | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | **7.3** |
| **[Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょデビット)](https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kojin/cashless/yuchodebit/kj_crd_dbt_lineup.html)** | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | **6.9** |
| **[Sony Bank WALLET](https://sonybank.jp/products/sbw/)** | 4 | 9 | 5 | 9 | **6.5** |
| **[Rakuten Bank Debit](https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/debit-card/)** | 6 | 7 | 2 | 8 | **5.9** |
| **[SMBC (Olive Flexible Pay)](https://www.smbc.co.jp/kojin/debit/)** | 7 | 6 | 3 | 6 | **5.8** |
| **[PayPay Bank Visa Debit](https://www.paypay-bank.co.jp/debit/index.html)** | 6 | n/a | 2 | 4 | **4.4** |
| **[MUFG Visa Debit](https://www.bk.mufg.jp/tsukau/debit/visa/index.html)** | 4 | 7 | 2 | 4 | **4.2** |

Why each card scored as it did:

- **Wise card:** verification in English with a residence card, no overseas transaction fee, and free overseas ATM withdrawals up to ¥25,000 a month. You pay ¥1,200 for the physical card, and Wise gives no figure for its conversion fee on its card page.
- **Seven Bank Debit:** the account opens at an ATM with a residence card (cards issued from June 14, 2026 only from December 22, 2026, as scheduled), and the debit pages come in English and 7 more languages besides Japanese. But it can't be used for registered recurring payments, tolls or gas stations.
- **Japan Post Bank:** no 6-month rule, an app in 7 languages including English, and Apple Pay and Google Pay. The 4.0% overseas fee is the highest here.
- **Sony Bank WALLET:** 0.5% to 2.0% cashback, and no overseas fee when you pay in one of 10 currencies from a foreign-currency account. But foreigners can apply only by mail after 6 months, and English online banking ended in March 2026.
- **Rakuten Bank Debit:** 1% in points, and it works for utility and phone bills with some exceptions. Its English page covers little more than opening an account, and its contact line is in Japanese only.
- **SMBC (Olive Flexible Pay):** the SMBC app accepts a residence card, and the card works with both Visa and iD. No English support found, and the overseas fee is 3.63%.
- **PayPay Bank Visa Debit:** no annual fee and up to 4 card-less numbers in the app. Its English page covers only opening an account, which needs you to count as a resident under the foreign-exchange rules (so working in Japan or 6 months after arrival) and more than 3 months left on your residence card. We couldn't find its overseas fee or reward rate on its official pages, so fees are `n/a`.
- **MUFG Visa Debit:** only 0.20% cashback, and a published list of refused merchants that includes the NEXCO expressways and a Y!mobile service. Foreigners must open the account at a branch.

No provider paid for its score, and this page has no affiliate links.

## Which debit card is best for you?

- **Best if you just arrived:** Seven Bank or Japan Post Bank. Both accounts start from a residence card with 3+ months left, and the card comes with the account.
- **Best for paying abroad and holding other currencies:** Sony Bank WALLET, once you have been in Japan 6 months. The Wise card is the option before that.
- **Best for points on everyday spending:** Rakuten Bank Debit (1 point per ¥100) or Sony Bank WALLET (0.5% to 2.0%).
- **Best if you want English:** Wise. Of the banks, Seven Bank has the most English and other-language pages for its debit card.

## Where does a debit card not work in Japan?

A debit card is not a credit card. Banks and billers list these common gaps:

- **Highway tolls and ETC.** SMBC and Seven Bank say their debit cards may not work for expressway tolls. MUFG lists East, Central and West Nippon Expressway on its refused list, and Rakuten Bank's JCB card can't pay tolls.
- **Gas stations.** SMBC and Seven Bank list gas stations. Rakuten Bank accepts them only if your account holds **¥10,000 or more**, because the final charge arrives days later.
- **Utilities and subscriptions.** SMBC warns that electricity and gas bills may not work. Seven Bank excludes merchants where you register the card for continuing payments. Japan Post Bank allows recurring payments only where it approves the merchant.
- **Rental cars.** Nippon Rent-A-Car takes branded debit cards online, but its premium and large classes are credit card only, and it treats Olive as debit. The card check takes money from your account at once, and the refund can take up to several months.
- **Phone installments.** au says non-Japanese with a period of stay need a **credit card** to buy a phone on installments (個別信用購入あっせん). With under 90 days left on your stay, monthly fees must go on a credit card in your name. See our [phone contract guide](/phone-internet/mobile/phone-contract-japan-foreigner/).
- **License paperwork.** JAF doesn't accept debit or prepaid cards for an online Japanese translation of a foreign license, a step in [converting your license](/driving/license/convert-foreign-license-japan/). It takes credit cards or cash at a convenience store.

**ETC without a credit card:** The six expressway companies jointly issue the **ETC Personal Card (ETCパーソナルカード)** for people without a credit card. It costs **¥1,257 a year** plus a deposit of 4 times your declared monthly tolls, from **¥3,000**. Tolls are taken from your bank account on the 27th, and the card arrives about 2 weeks after you pay the deposit.

## Which Japanese debit cards are Visa?

Japan Post Bank, Sony Bank, SMBC, MUFG and PayPay Bank issue Visa debit cards. Rakuten Bank offers Mastercard, JCB and Visa. Seven Bank's card is JCB.

A Visa debit card shows the Visa logo and works at Visa merchants in Japan and abroad, within your balance. Shops may still refuse it in the cases listed above.

## Can I use a Japanese debit card abroad or to send money home?

Yes for spending abroad, at the overseas fees in the table. Sony Bank charges no overseas fee in 10 currencies (US dollar, euro, pound, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian dollars, Swiss franc, Hong Kong dollar, rand and krona) when you pay from a balance in that currency in its free foreign-currency account; you pay only Sony Bank's exchange cost when you buy the currency. Without that balance, and in other currencies, the fee is 1.79%.

For remittance, a debit card is usually not the cheapest way to pay. On our remittance sample, paying a money transfer service by debit card cost more than paying by bank transfer. Compare routes in our guide to [sending money from Japan](/money/remittance/send-money-from-japan/).

## What happens to your debit card when your visa changes or you leave Japan?

The card lives or dies with the account. Sony Bank asks for your new residence card each time you extend your stay and restricts transactions if it can't confirm the renewal. Japan Post Bank's debit terms let it end your card membership once you no longer live in Japan.

Wise says it can't offer you an account in Japan once you move out, though you may be able to open one in your new country. Before you leave, check our [leaving Japan checklist](/visa/leaving/leaving-japan-checklist/).

For tolls, rentals and phone installments you will eventually want a credit card. When you're ready, see [credit cards for foreigners in Japan](/money/cards/credit-card-for-foreigners-japan/) and [how your credit score works in Japan](/money/cards/credit-score-japan-foreigners/).

More guides: [opening a bank account in Japan](/money/banking/bank-account-for-foreigners-japan/), [credit cards for foreigners](/money/cards/credit-card-for-foreigners-japan/) and [sending money from Japan](/money/remittance/send-money-from-japan/).

## Questions people ask

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

Yes. Bank debit cards come with the bank account, so if you can open the account you can usually add the card. The banks compared want you to live in Japan and be 15 or 16 or older. Most banks also want at least 3 months left on your residence card.

### Does Japan Post Bank have a debit card?

Yes. ゆうちょデビット is a free Visa debit card for Japan Post Bank account holders aged 15 or over (not junior high students) who live in Japan. It pays 0.25% cashback and charges a 4.0% overseas fee.

### Is there a Japanese Visa debit card?

Yes. Japan Post Bank, Sony Bank, SMBC, MUFG and PayPay Bank all issue Visa debit cards, and Rakuten Bank offers Visa as well as Mastercard and JCB. Seven Bank's debit card is JCB.

### Can I pay highway tolls (ETC) with a debit card?

Usually not. SMBC, MUFG and Seven Bank list expressway tolls among the payments their debit cards may not handle. The ETC Personal Card is made for people without a credit card: ¥1,257 a year plus a deposit of 4 times your monthly tolls, from ¥3,000.

### Why was my debit card refused when I rented a car?

Some classes need a real credit card. At Nippon Rent-A-Car, premium and large classes are credit card only, and cards with a debit function such as Olive count as debit. Where debit is accepted, the card check takes the money at once and the refund can take months.

## Sources

- [ゆうちょデビット 商品内容](https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kojin/cashless/yuchodebit/kj_crd_dbt_lineup.html), Japan Post Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [ゆうちょデビット規定](https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kitei/pdf/debit.pdf), Japan Post Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Sony Bank WALLET](https://sonybank.jp/products/sbw/), Sony Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [キャッシュバック｜Sony Bank WALLET](https://sonybank.jp/products/sbw/08.html), Sony Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [海外利用時の手数料｜Sony Bank WALLET](https://sonybank.jp/products/sbw/09.html), Sony Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [楽天銀行デビットカード](https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/debit-card/), Rakuten Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [海外での使い方](https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/debit-card/abroad/), Rakuten Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [デビットカードで支払できない場合](https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/debit-card/support/stop/), Rakuten Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [デビットカードはどんな場所で使える？](https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/debit-card/scene/), Rakuten Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Rakuten Bank (English)](https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/english/), Rakuten Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [デビットカード](https://www.smbc.co.jp/kojin/debit/), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Olive](https://www.smbc.co.jp/kojin/olive/), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (accessed Oct 24, 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)
- [三菱ＵＦＪ-VISAデビット](https://www.bk.mufg.jp/tsukau/debit/visa/index.html), MUFG Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [三菱ＵＦＪ-VISAデビットがご利用いただけない加盟店一覧](https://www.bk.mufg.jp/tsukau/debit/visa/not_available.pdf), MUFG Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Visaデビットカード](https://www.paypay-bank.co.jp/debit/index.html), PayPay Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Visaデビットカードとは](https://www.paypay-bank.co.jp/debit/about.html), PayPay Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [For Customers Opening a PayPay Bank Account](https://www.paypay-bank.co.jp/en/), PayPay Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [デビット付きキャッシュカード 商品概要](https://www.sevenbank.co.jp/personal/account/jcb_debit/first/product.html), Seven Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Debit Card Service](https://www.sevenbank.co.jp/english/personal/account/jcb_debit/), Seven Bank (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Wise card fees (Japan)](https://wise.com/jp/pricing/card-fees), Wise (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Wiseデビットカード](https://wise.com/jp/card/), Wise (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [Getting verified in Japan](https://wise.com/help/articles/2968293/getting-verified-in-japan), Wise (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [よくあるご質問: ネットクレジット決済](https://www.nipponrentacar.co.jp/faq/faq9.htm), Nippon Rent-A-Car (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [ETCパーソナルカード](https://www.w-nexco.co.jp/etc/personal_card/), NEXCO West (西日本高速道路) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [ご契約に必要なもの](https://www.au.com/support/service/mobile/procedure/preparation/), KDDI (au) (accessed Oct 24, 2026)
- [About the Japanese translation of a foreign driver's license](https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/about-dltas), JAF (accessed Oct 24, 2026)