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Any Gaijin ever gotten a credit card in Japan?
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Mr. Fun



Joined: 14 Feb 2011
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:52 am    Post subject: Any Gaijin ever gotten a credit card in Japan? Reply with quote

I am an American in living in Japan. I have worked for the same company for four years, have a steady income, and have a considerable amount of savings. Never have I taken out a loan or indebted myself here or in America, nor have I failed to pay my taxes.

This said, I have applied for a credit card through five different Japanese credit companies and been rejected each time.

The worst is the JP bank (post office bank) in which I have all my savings. They clearly know my good financial situation but rejected me twice anyhow. It is so frustrating because I have to keep using my American credit card which I can only pay off through costly international bank transfers, plus I have the exchange rates to contend with.

I brought the matter up with some of my friends and a few said they applied in the past and were also rejected. And no foreigner I know has a Japanese card. I really think the creditors here are racist and will never issue a credit card to an outsider. Maybe I am wrong. Has anyone had success? If so please tell me the name of the credit company.
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Bread



Joined: 24 May 2009
Posts: 318

PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get yourself a legal alias like 田中太郎 or something and maybe they'll issue you a credit card without noticing you're a foreigner.
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the4th2001



Joined: 04 Oct 2010
Posts: 130
Location: Tokyo

PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Back in college, a couple of foreign classmates and I went down to the local Marui to apply for credit cards. Actually they applied and I just went with them for fun. Any way though, the received credit cards no problem. I also have a couple of friends that signed up and received American Express cards from Costco (Tamasakai branch).

Seeing that you mentioned the post office, a few months back my local post office kept on filling my mailbox with promises of gaijin friendly credit cards.
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:56 pm    Post subject: Re: Any Gaijin ever gotten a credit card in Japan? Reply with quote

Mr. Fun wrote:
I brought the matter up with some of my friends and a few said they applied in the past and were also rejected. And no foreigner I know has a Japanese card. I really think the creditors here are racist and will never issue a credit card to an outsider. Maybe I am wrong.
Yes, you are wrong. Plenty of us have Japanese credit cards. Just keep applying.

I work with a guy who has been here over 20 years, and even he recently got rejected for one card. Stupid, but it happens.
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ripslyme



Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 481
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 11:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

3rd time was literally the charm for me. I had applied for VISA/MC cards at Marui and Parco to no avail. On a whim, a few months later applied for a MC at a local Yellow Hat - and got the card. A couple months after that I went back to Marui and applied for a VISA card - and got it too. Very Happy

Oh and my background info: This is my 3rd time living in Japan. In total I've been here for about 6 years, but only 2 years this time around.

Just keep applying, one of these outfits will approve you eventually. Wink
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TokyoLiz



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1548
Location: Tokyo, Japan

PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mr. Fun wrote,
Quote:
I brought the matter up with some of my friends and a few said they applied in the past and were also rejected. And no foreigner I know has a Japanese card. I really think the creditors here are racist and will never issue a credit card to an outsider.


I've got two credit cards, one through my bank, the other through a promotion with the mobile phone.

I don't know what the magic formula is, but I got credit the first time I applied.
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Great Teacher Umikun



Joined: 28 Mar 2004
Posts: 63
Location: Back in Japan

PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 4:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I heard somewhere that the only foreigners able to get credit cards are permanent residents, or did any non-permanent residents get one as well?
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Yawarakaijin



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 504
Location: Middle of Nagano

PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 5:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been here about 6 years this stint and have applied numerous times. Rejected every time. The real kicker however was being denied by my own bank after they promised me over the phone that there would be no problem getting approved.

I came in from Nagano to my home branch back in Tokyo specifically after telling them that I didn't want to make the journey for no reason. My secretary at my side, I must have been told 15 times that there would be no problem getting a card. My bank balance was more than enough to cover the montly limit, I had been here for years, had a good job, yada yada yada. 1 week later........rejected.

What I dont understand is this. The card I wanted needs you to pay off the balance every month. I had no problem with this. I didn't want to use it the way the average north american uses their cards, i.e run up a huge debt and pay it off over time. I just wanted it for renting cars, hotel reservations..things like that.

So there I was. At my own bank, having a balance in my account that more than covered the limit, having a job with a monthly salaray that more than covered the limit!! REJECTED.

I gave up after that. Confused
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Mr. Fun



Joined: 14 Feb 2011
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all the info everyone. I guess at this at this point Ill be happy to get a card from anywhere. Im thinking a gas station, or as someone wrote earlier, at YellowHat. If I know other people out there have them I dont feel as discouraged now.
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move



Joined: 30 May 2009
Posts: 132

PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been rejected from opening a bank account, getting internet access and even Tsutaya's online service (even though I have a regular Tsutaya account). I had my friend look over all my documentation so I know it was correct. I think they see katakana in a name and just decide against it. Evil or Very Mad A lot of time you won't get outright rejected, just slow f*****, please submit this paperwork, wait two more weeks, we didn't receive it, please send it again, etc etc.
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Mr_Monkey



Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Kyuuuuuushuuuuuuu

PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 12:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got one at the first time of asking along with J-COM cable internet.

I have a spouse visa, though - that might make a difference.
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hagiwaramai



Joined: 24 May 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Marines Stadium

PostPosted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:44 pm    Post subject: Re: Any Gaijin ever gotten a credit card in Japan? Reply with quote

Mr. Fun wrote:
Never have I taken out a loan or indebted myself here or in America,
This might be the problem though. This goes against you, it doesn't go in your favour. A lot of people think it's better not to get into debt to be able to get credit, but what credit companies want is to see that you've been in debt and got out of it. Just like you wouldn't say a student was a good student if they didn't hand their assignments in, a credit company won't say that you're a good borrower if you don't borrow money, but instead will probably suspect you haven't got the means to get credit and pay it back it back. They want you to have borrowed, that's their business, and they want you to pay it back with lots of lovely interest for them. Having said all that of course, these companies might just be a bunch of racist old bureaucrats but we'll never know.
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steki47



Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka

PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 1:02 am    Post subject: Re: Any Gaijin ever gotten a credit card in Japan? Reply with quote

hagiwaramai wrote:
A lot of people think it's better not to get into debt to be able to get credit, but what credit companies want is to see that you've been in debt and got out of it.


True. In the US, I couldn't get a real unsecured credit card until I went into debt in university.

In Japan, the post office rejected my application. Have had an account for 4-5 years. AEON gave me a credit card through a joint application with my Japanese wife.
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DoubleDare



Joined: 14 Apr 2010
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got an NTT Visa card no problem (8% cash back on my phone and internet bill each month)
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Hoser



Joined: 19 Mar 2005
Posts: 694
Location: Toronto, Canada

PostPosted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've got a PARCO Saison VISA card. Got it the first time I applied. I had a 3 year visa but other than that I'm nothing special. I had a harder time getting a credit card in Canada than I did in Japan believe it or not!
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