Japan Payment Methods

Accept payments from Japanese customers through local payment methods including convenience store payments (Konbini), Pay-easy banking, and online banking.

Overview

Japan has unique payment preferences with high cash usage and popular alternative payment methods. Understanding local payment behavior is crucial for success in the Japanese market.

Japanese Payment Landscape:

💴 Cash-centric - Still 70%+ of transactions
🏪 Konbini popular - Convenience store payments widely used
🏦 Bank transfers - Trusted for larger amounts
💳 Credit cards - Growing but less than Western markets
📱 Mobile payments - PayPay, LINE Pay gaining traction

Supported Payment Methods

Convenience Store Payments (Konbini)

Method	Stores	Settlement	Refundable	Typical Use
Konbini	55,000+	1-3 days	❌ No	Online shopping, bills

Supported Chains:

7-Eleven (21,000+ stores)
FamilyMart (16,000+ stores)
Lawson (14,000+ stores)
Ministop
Daily Yamazaki
Seicomart

Banking Methods

Method	Description	Settlement	Refundable
Pay-easy	ATM/online banking	1-3 days	❌ No
Online Banking	Internet banking	1-3 days	✅ Yes

Digital Wallets

Wallet	Users	Coverage
PayPay	60M+	Nationwide

Payment Method Comparison

Feature	Konbini	Pay-easy	Online Banking	PayPay
Platform	In-store	ATM/Online	Online	Mobile app
Users	Universal	50M+	Bank customers	60M+
Speed	1-3 days	1-3 days	1-3 days	Instant
Refunds	❌ No	❌ No	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Cash-based	✅ Yes	Hybrid	❌ No	❌ No
Best for	Cash users	Bank customers	Online buyers	Mobile-first

Japanese Market Characteristics

Cash Culture

70%+ of daily transactions still in cash
Konbini payments bridge cash and online shopping
Older demographics prefer cash/Konbini
Younger users adopting mobile wallets

Trust & Security

Bank transfers highly trusted
Cash on delivery still popular
Credit card fraud concerns
Prefer established, local payment methods

Consumer Behavior

Research extensively before purchase
Value detailed product information
Expect excellent customer service
Loyal to trusted brands

Currency & Amounts

Currency: Japanese Yen (JPY)

Typical Limits:

Minimum: ¥100
Maximum: ¥300,000 per transaction (varies by method)
Konbini: ¥1 - ¥300,000
Pay-easy: ¥1 - ¥999,999
Online Banking: ¥1 - ¥10,000,000+

Implementation Considerations

1. Display Prices in JPY

function formatJPY(amount) {
    return new Intl.NumberFormat('ja-JP', {
        style: 'currency',
        currency: 'JPY',
        minimumFractionDigits: 0
    }).format(amount);
}

// Usage
const price = formatJPY(10000); // "¥10,000"

2. Show Japanese Instructions

<div class="payment-instructions" lang="ja">
    <h3>お支払い方法 (Payment Methods)</h3>
    <div class="methods">
        <button data-method="konbini">
            <span>コンビニ決済</span>
            <small>Convenience Store Payment</small>
        </button>
        <button data-method="pay_easy">
            <span>Pay-easy</span>
            <small>ATM・ネットバンキング</small>
        </button>
    </div>
</div>

3. Provide Detailed Instructions

Japanese customers expect clear, step-by-step instructions:

<div class="konbini-guide">
    <h4>コンビニでのお支払い方法</h4>
    <ol>
        <li>お近くのコンビニへお持ちください</li>
        <li>レジで支払い番号を提示してください</li>
        <li>現金でお支払いください</li>
        <li>レシートを受け取ってください</li>
    </ol>
</div>

4. Handle Payment Delays

Konbini and Pay-easy have delayed confirmation:

// Don't ship immediately
app.post('/webhooks/omise', async (req, res) => {
    const event = req.body;

    if (event.key === 'charge.complete') {
        const charge = event.data;

        if (['konbini', 'pay_easy'].includes(charge.source.type)) {
            if (charge.status === 'successful') {
                // Payment confirmed - now ship order
                await shipOrder(charge.metadata.order_id);
            }
        }
    }

    res.sendStatus(200);
});

Choosing the Right Method

For General E-commerce

Primary: Konbini (widest reach, cash users) Secondary: Credit cards, PayPay Optional: Pay-easy (bank customers)

For Digital Goods

Primary: Credit cards, PayPay Secondary: Online banking Avoid: Konbini (delayed confirmation)

For Older Demographics

Primary: Konbini, Pay-easy Secondary: Credit cards Avoid: Mobile wallets

For Young/Tech-Savvy

Primary: PayPay, credit cards Secondary: Online banking Optional: Konbini

For High-Value Items

Primary: Online banking, credit cards Secondary: Pay-easy Consider: Cash on delivery

Best Practices

1. Japanese Language Support

Essential for success in Japan:

Payment method names in Japanese
Step-by-step instructions in Japanese
Customer support in Japanese
Clear kanji and hiragana

2. Detailed Payment Instructions

Provide comprehensive guides:

Store locations (for Konbini)
Payment codes clearly displayed
Expiration times prominently shown
Receipt confirmation process

3. Customer Service

Japanese consumers expect:

Quick response times
Polite, formal communication
Detailed explanations
Proactive updates

4. Payment Confirmation Emails

Send detailed confirmation:

await sendEmail(customer.email, {
    subject: 'お支払い方法のご案内',
    body: `
        お支払い番号: ${paymentCode}
        お支払い期限: ${expiryDate}
        お支払い金額: ¥${amount}

        コンビニでのお支払い方法:
        1. お近くのコンビニへお持ちください
        2. レジで支払い番号を提示してください
        ...
    `
});

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Don't:

Skip Japanese language support
Assume credit card preference
Ship before payment confirmation (Konbini/Pay-easy)
Use informal language
Provide insufficient instructions
Ignore local holidays (Golden Week, etc.)

✅ Do:

Offer multiple local payment methods
Provide detailed Japanese instructions
Wait for webhook confirmation
Use polite, formal Japanese
Include visual guides
Account for Japanese business hours

FAQ

Which payment method is most popular in Japan?

Cash remains dominant (70%+ of transactions). For online shopping:

Konbini - Most widely used for e-commerce
Credit cards - Growing in popularity
PayPay - Leading mobile wallet (60M+ users)
Pay-easy - Popular for bills and banking customers

Do I need Japanese language support?

Yes, absolutely essential for success in Japan. Japanese customers expect:

Payment methods described in Japanese
Step-by-step instructions in Japanese
Customer support available in Japanese

Why can't I refund Konbini payments?

Konbini payments are cash-based and processed through convenience stores. Once paid, the cash flow makes refunds technically impossible through the payment system. You must handle refunds manually via bank transfer.

How long do customers have to pay via Konbini?

Typically 3-7 days from order creation. The exact expiration time is set when you create the source and should be clearly communicated to customers.

Should I offer PayPay or Konbini first?

Depends on your target audience:

Tech-savvy, younger users: PayPay first
General population, older demographics: Konbini first
Best approach: Offer both and let customers choose

Konbini Payments - Convenience store payments
Pay-easy - ATM and online banking
Online Banking - Internet banking
PayPay - Mobile wallet
Credit Cards - Card payments
Testing - Test Japanese payment methods

Next Steps

Choose target payment methods based on audience
Add Japanese language support
Implement payment method(s)
Provide detailed payment instructions
Set up webhook handling for delayed confirmation
Test thoroughly with Japanese customers
Go live

Ready to integrate? Choose your payment method:

Konbini (Convenience Store) - Most popular
Pay-easy (Banking) - Bank customers
Online Banking - Internet banking
PayPay (Mobile Wallet) - Mobile-first

Overview​

Supported Payment Methods​

Convenience Store Payments (Konbini)​

Banking Methods​

Digital Wallets​

Payment Method Comparison​

Japanese Market Characteristics​

Cash Culture​

Trust & Security​

Consumer Behavior​

Currency & Amounts​

Implementation Considerations​

1. Display Prices in JPY​

2. Show Japanese Instructions​

3. Provide Detailed Instructions​

4. Handle Payment Delays​

Choosing the Right Method​

For General E-commerce​

For Digital Goods​

For Older Demographics​

For Young/Tech-Savvy​

For High-Value Items​

Best Practices​

1. Japanese Language Support​

2. Detailed Payment Instructions​

3. Customer Service​

4. Payment Confirmation Emails​

Common Mistakes to Avoid​

❌ Don't:​

✅ Do:​

FAQ​

Related Resources​

Next Steps​