Hi! It’s me, Sensei!
“I failed the credit card screening (Screening / Shinsa / 審査)…”
“I can’t make a card because my visa period is short…”
Are you worried about things like that?
It’s okay! In Japan, there are convenient cards you can make “without screening.”
That is a “Debit Card (Debit Card / デビットカード).”
Today, I will introduce the charm of debit cards and recommended banks to all foreign trainees and specified skilled workers!
What is a Debit Card?
A debit card is a card that can be used at stores and for online shopping (like Amazon), just like a credit card.
It looks almost the same, with Visa or Mastercard marks on it.
However, the way money is paid is different.
💡 Difference from Credit Card
- Credit Card: You pay the money you used “next month” (same as debt). That’s why there is a screening.
- Debit Card: Money is deducted from your “Bank Account (Bank Account / Ginkou Kouza / 銀行口座)” the moment you use it.
In other words, since “you can only use the money you have in your account,” the bank doesn’t need to worry about you spending too much.
That’s why there is no screening (No Screening / Shinsa nashi / 審査なし)!
3 Recommended Debit Cards for Foreigners
To make a debit card, you need a Japanese bank account.
Here, I will introduce 3 banks where it is easy for foreigners to open an account and debit cards are convenient.
1. Yucho Bank (Japan Post Bank / Yucho Ginko / ゆうちょ銀行)
“Yucho” is used by most trainees to receive their salary (Salary / Kyuuryou / 給料).
You just need to change your current cash card to one with a debit function.
Black
White
▲ You can choose your favorite color when applying!
2. Seven Bank (Seven Ginko / セブン銀行)
It is easy to link with overseas remittance (Remittance / Kaigai Soukin / 海外送金) apps, and Seven-Eleven ATMs are easy to use for free.
You also earn nanaco points, so it is recommended for people who often use convenience stores.
▲ It also has nanaco function, which is convenient!
3. SBI Sumishin Net Bank (Sumishin SBI Net Ginko / 住信SBIネット銀行)
【Your smartphone becomes your wallet! The latest bank】
This is best recommended for people who say “I don’t have time to go to the store!” or “Carrying cards is troublesome.”
If you download the app (App) and open an account on your smartphone, you can use the debit function immediately.
💳 You can choose 2 ways to use
① Smartphone Debit
Even without a plastic card, you can shop just by touching your smartphone to the register (Apple Pay / Google Pay).
Once you create an account, you can set it up immediately on the app.
② Physical Card
This is a regular plastic card. You use it when withdrawing money at ATMs or at stores where smartphone payment is not available.
*It will arrive by mail later.
To use “Smartphone Debit,” you need to be connected to the internet at the cash register.
If you “do not have a SIM card usable outside (can only use Wi-Fi),” you cannot pay at the register.
In that case, please be sure to issue a “Physical Card (Card Type)” and carry the card with you!
＼ Open an account via App (Free) ／
What you can do with a Debit Card
“Isn’t it inconvenient if it’s not a credit card?”
No, you can do almost anything!
- ✅ Shopping on Amazon or Rakuten Market (COD fee 0 yen!)
- ✅ Payment at convenience stores and supermarkets (Just show the card at the register)
- ✅ Payment for smartphone bills (Some cheap SIMs, etc.)
- ✅ Charging Suica (Mobile Suica, etc.)
⚠️ Attention (Chuui-ten / 注意点)
“Installment payment (Installment payment / Bunkatsu-barai / 分割払い)” is not possible.
Also, you cannot use it if there is no money in your account (it will be an insufficient balance error).
Summary: Let’s graduate from cash life!
You don’t need to be depressed even if you don’t pass the credit card screening.
If you have a debit card, you can live a convenient and smart cashless life.
- Anyone can make it without screening.
- No worry about overspending.
- Yucho, Seven, and SBI are recommended.
First, please check the website of the bank account you currently have and look for the “Debit Card” application button!
💳 Do you prefer a card with good points after all?
If you “have a period of stay of 1 year or more” or “have a Specified Skilled Worker Visa,” you might be able to challenge the Rakuten Card where you can earn a lot of points.
Why not give it a try (Dame moto de / ダメ元で)?
