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Japan (JP) · Module Detail

Japan: Scheme & Network Compliance

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Card acceptance is dominated by Visa, Mastercard and the domestic JCB (Japan Credit Bureau), with Mitsui Sumitomo Card and JCB as major domestic players. The QR/code-payments layer is governed by the JPQR unified-code standard (introduced to consolidate competing wallet codes). Credit-card issuing and merchant acquiring fall under the Installment Sales Act in addition to the PSA. 3D Secure (3DS) is widely enforced for card-not-present and recurring transactions to reduce fraud.

Standing sub-brief · as of 4 August 2026139 words · last cycle 2026-06-28

Scheme & Network Compliance

Card acceptance is dominated by Visa, Mastercard and domestic JCB, with Mitsui Sumitomo Card and JCB as major domestic players. Credit-card issuing and merchant acquiring fall under the Installment Sales Act alongside the PSA; the JPQR unified-code standard (introduced 2021) consolidated competing QR wallet codes; and 3D Secure is widely enforced for card-not-present and recurring transactions. JCB's domestic strength and JPQR standardisation differentiate Japan's scheme layer, while the Installment Sales Act adds a non-PSA statutory layer for acquiring conduct. By 2024, code payments reached 9.6% of cashless transaction value (JPY13.5tn). The framework spans both bank and non-bank participants.

no periodic updates on record for this sub-brief

Sources and findings (4)
  1. T2https://practiceguides.chambers.com/practice-guides/financial-services-regulation-2025/japan/trends-and-developmentsretrieved
  2. T3https://en.jasec.or.jp/single-post/japan-s-cashless-revolution-what-global-retailers-need-to-know-by-2025retrieved
  3. T3https://payatlas.com/countries/japan-jpretrieved
  4. T3https://www.fusionsystems.group/blog/japan-digital-payment-revolution/retrieved