Easy-Approval Credit Cards for Foreigners in Japan: 4 That Routinely Approve

Information current as of May 2026 based on each issuer's published eligibility text and FAQs. This is general financial information, not advice — approval is always at the issuer's discretion.

"Easy-approval" is a relative term. No issuer in Japan publishes acceptance rates by applicant segment, and no card is guaranteed for anyone. What you can verify is that 流通系 (retail-issued) cards are designed for mass consumer enrollment and have systematically looser screening models than 銀行系 (bank-issued) cards. For foreign residents with empty CIC files or short residence periods, the difference between a 流通系 and a 銀行系 application can be 70% approval versus 20%.

Quick comparison

Card	Annual fee	Same-day	Foreign-applicant features	Apply at
Epos Card (Marui)	Free	Yes, in-store	GTN-Epos co-brand for foreigners (25-language support)	Online or Marui store
Aeon Card	Free	No (foreign nationals)	Strong reputation for non-employee profiles	Online or Aeon store
Saison Card International	Free	Yes (apply by 19:00)	在留カード/特別永住/MyNumber all accepted	Saison Counter (in major cities)
Rakuten Card	Free	No (mailed)	Largest member base; full online flow	Online only

Epos Card — best for fast issuance

Epos is the consumer card division of Marui (丸井), the department store chain. Application is accepted online or in person at any Marui store with an Epos counter, and same-day pickup is published policy at eposcard.co.jp/eposcard/same_day.html.

For foreign residents, two specific Epos products are worth knowing:

• Standard Epos Card: 18+, residing in Japan, reachable by phone. 在留カード or 特別永住者証明書 accepted as ID — see Epos's dedicated residence-card submission page.
• GTN Epos Card: co-issued by Epos and Global Trust Networks. 25-language application support, same-day screening at Marui. The most explicitly foreigner-targeted mainstream card on the market.

The store-issuance flow is the fastest first card you can get in Japan. Walk in with your 在留カード and a secondary ID (健康保険証 or driver's license), spend 30–60 minutes at the counter, and walk out with a usable card. Approval is not guaranteed — but if you've been turned down online elsewhere, the in-person flow at Marui surprisingly often succeeds because a human associate can ask clarifying questions the automated system cannot.

Aeon Card — best for thin-file applicants

Aeon Card is issued by Aeon Financial Service, the credit arm of the Aeon supermarket group. The card has a long-standing reputation among Japanese consumer guides as the easiest first card for housewives, part-timers, and lower-income applicants — categories conventional bank-issued cards underwrite poorly.

The eligibility requirements per Aeon's official FAQ are minimal: 18+, residing in Japan, reachable by phone. There is no income floor and no minimum employment tenure published.

Critical exception for foreign nationals: Aeon's published AML/KYC policy at aeon.co.jp/docs/moneylaundering/ states that 同時即時発行 / 即日発行 services are not available to non-Japanese-national applicants. Even if you walk into the Aeon counter and complete the application, your card will arrive by mail, typically 7–14 days later. This is one of the most-overlooked YMYL facts in foreign-resident card guides.

If your residence card is current and you can wait 1–2 weeks, Aeon's screening accepts profiles that Rakuten and JCB reject — including dependent visa holders with no Japanese income source, students, and those just over 1 year of tenure but with no employment. The starting limit is typically ¥100,000–¥300,000, with growth on demonstrated usage.

Saison Card International — best for same-day at counter

Saison's Saison Card International is the entry-level no-fee product from Credit Saison. Eligibility per their application FAQ is 18+ with a payment account at a partnered Japanese financial institution.

Same-day issuance is documented in Saison's FAQ: apply at a Saison Counter (located in major train stations and shopping centers in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and other major cities) by 19:00 and pick up the card the same day. Acceptable IDs include 在留カード, 特別永住者証明書, and MyNumber card.

The advantage over Epos in-store is access. Saison Counters exist in many places where Marui does not — Yokohama, Kobe, Hiroshima, Sendai. The disadvantage: same-day approval is not guaranteed (it depends on automated screening at the counter), and rejection in front of an associate is awkward.

Rakuten Card — best for online flow

Rakuten is the highest-volume card by member count and the only one of the four with a fully digital application that does not require a physical visit. Eligibility is 18+, no PR required, no Japanese name requirement. Detailed coverage is in our Rakuten Card foreigner approval guide.

Rakuten's strength is also its weakness: pure automated screening means tiny mismatches between your form data and 在留カード OCR can reject you, where a Saison or Epos counter associate would catch and fix them.

Which to apply for first

This depends entirely on your profile:

• You need a card today: Walk into a Marui Epos counter with your 在留カード and 健康保険証. Same-day issuance is real for non-Japanese-nationals here (unlike Aeon).
• You're not near a major city: Apply Rakuten online. Mailed in 7–10 days.
• You've been rejected by Rakuten: Apply Aeon (mailed, 1–2 weeks) or visit a Saison Counter.
• Your CIC is empty or thin: Aeon is statistically the most forgiving; consider GTN-Epos for explicit foreigner support.
• You want all the major brand benefits long-term: Get one easy-approval card now, use it cleanly for 6–12 months, then apply for a higher-tier product (JCB GOLD, Amex Green, etc.).

Filling out a Japanese-only application form correctly is not trivial — and getting rejected because you ticked the wrong residence-status box is a months-long setback. If you'd like a Japanese-speaking helper to sit in on a video call while you apply, post your question on LO-PAL. Posting is free; you only pay if you accept hands-on task help.

Phrases at the counter

If you're applying in person at Marui, Saison, or Aeon:

• 「クレジットカードに申し込みたいです」 (Kurejitto kaado ni moushikomitai desu) — I'd like to apply for a credit card.
• 「即日発行はできますか？」 (Sokujitsu hakkou wa dekimasu ka?) — Can I get same-day issuance?
• 「外国人でも申し込めますか？」 (Gaikokujin demo moushikomemasu ka?) — Can foreign residents apply?
• 「在留カードと健康保険証を持ってきました」 (Zairyuu kaado to kenkou hokenshou wo motte kimashita) — I brought my residence card and health insurance card.
• 「審査の結果はいつわかりますか？」 (Shinsa no kekka wa itsu wakarimasu ka?) — When will I know the screening result?

Cards to avoid as your first card

The following cards are technically open to foreigners but have systematically lower approval rates for short-tenure applicants:

• JCB CARD W — only 18–39, JCB international acceptance is weaker than Visa/Mastercard. Useful as a second card after building 6+ months of CIC history.
• View Card (JR East) — niche use case (Suica auto-charge). Standard ID rules but no foreigner-friendly track.
• Bank-issued cards (MUFG, Mizuho, Sumitomo Mitsui Card) — bank cards generally favor Japanese citizens, PR holders, and applicants with established Japanese employment. Apply after 1–2 years here.
• American Express Green / Gold — annual fees and stricter screening. Better as a "second card" upgrade later.

Related articles

• Credit, Loans, and Mortgages in Japan for Foreigners (2026)
• Rakuten Card Foreigner Approval Guide
• Building Credit History in Japan from Zero
• Credit Bureau Disclosure Guide
• Freelance Credit Card Approval

Pick the Right Card with a Local

If you're not sure which card matches your situation — or if a previous rejection has you nervous about applying again — post your question on LO-PAL for free. A local Japanese person can compare your profile against current issuer rules, suggest where to apply first, and even meet you at a Marui or Saison Counter. Free to post; you only pay if you accept task help.