Japanese Credit Cards. What’s in your wallet?

[captainspoke]

Should I be embarrassed or what?

Besides a US-based debit card, I only have one credit card, via a local bank, that I've had for ages. It lives at home, not in my wallet, and I only get it out for the occasional amazon or other online purchase.

[Beaglehound]

Should I be embarrassed or what?

Besides a US-based debit card, I only have one credit card, via a local bank, that I've had for ages. It lives at home, not in my wallet, and I only get it out for the occasional amazon or other online purchase.

Erm, I have you beaten here, no credit card for me, though I occasionally steal my wife's for flights. I do have a debit card though.

[Tsumitate Wrestler]

I do not think international travel is very safe without 1 or 2 decent credit cards. (More than 1 because Japanese cards can have issues abroad, you want a backup).

When I visited America for a time it was an absolute necessity to have a card when dealing with their healthcare system.

Your bog-standard Rakuten card will only give you a credit of about 6500 USD, not enough for an emergency.

(Speaking from experience).

[zeroshiki]

Unless you are hard-line about credit cards being debt and not wanting the temptation of spending, I don't see the reason not to have one. If for nothing else, getting it for cashbacks or points should be something everyone does. Paying in cash loses you out on those.

[Beaglehound]

Unless you are hard-line about credit cards being debt and not wanting the temptation of spending, I don't see the reason not to have one. If for nothing else, getting it for cashbacks or points should be something everyone does. Paying in cash loses you out on those.

I applied for one 20 years ago because my UK bank encouraged me to. The application was rejected. I suppose I may have taken it personally as I have not seen the need to apply for one since Though as I say, my wife has one so anything like flights where payment protection is an issue, or car rental, we have used hers.

I get points from using debit cards so I wonder if credit cards have any edge in that regard?

[AreTheyTheLemmings?]

After promoting the Saison UA Mileage card for ages as one of the best deals out there, today I got this message.

Fees increasing, earnings going down. I suspect the earnings ratio change is in part tied to the weak yen.

いつもMileagePlusセゾンカードをご利用いただきありがとうございます。
このたび、「MileagePlusセゾンカード」について、2024年7月4日(木)お引き落とし分より順次、年会費およびマイル付与条件改定、サービス内容の変更をさせていただきます。
何卒ご理解賜り、今後とも「MileagePlusセゾンカード」をご愛顧くださいますようお願い申しあげます。


■年会費改定内容

MileagePlusセゾンカード
1,650円(税込)⇒3,300円(税込)

マイルアップメンバーズ年会費
5,500円(税込)⇒11,000円(税込)

MileagePlusセゾンゴールドカード
22,000円(税込)⇒33,300円(税込)

MileagePlusセゾンプラチナカード
変更ございません


■マイル付与条件改定内容

税金および公共料金の利用
MileagePlusセゾンプラチナカード/MileagePlusセゾンゴールドカードの付与条件
1,000円につき15マイル⇒1,000円につき5マイル

マイルアップメンバーズの付与条件
1,000円につき10マイル⇒付与対象外

電子マネーおよびプリペイドカードチャージの利用
MileagePlusセゾンカードの全カード
1,000円につき15マイル⇒付与対象外

▼その他サービス変更・改定時期など詳細はこちら▼
https://www.saisoncard.co.jp/mileage/ua-renewal2024

Yeah, I got that email, too. I've been sitting on it, wondering if maybe I've misunderstood it, and hoping that someone might bring it up here. Can I just ask for clarification: Are they saying that shopping with the Saison UA Milage Card accrues nothing at all on the マイルアップメンバーズ plan?

[TJKansai]

It isn't quite as bad as I thought at first, but it is a doubling in fees for all but platinum.
I was getting a fair bit from tax payments, so for me it is probably time to dump it (and move on to Marriott's Amex).


Shopping still earns the 15/1000 (I think)
Taxes and utilities go from 15 to 5 for plat/gold and mileup gets nothing
E-money for all goes from 15 to nothing

[AreTheyTheLemmings?]

Thanks. I'll have a read of the small print.
If it's still 15 miles per 1,000 yen for shopping I might be convinced to keep it, but I get the feeling I might be in the market for a new credit card soon.

[Telebroker]

Ok, now I am infected and also share my setup, which is as follows - anything I’m missing, could do better? Hope the below can inspire others meanwhile.

- ANA Visa Gold Card - Earn ANA Miles, recently V-Points first which allows for conversion to ANA Miles (or not) any time;
- SMBC Olive Visa - Great at 7-11, Lawson, McD, Gusto - 8% currently (up to 20% possible if full in);
- PayPay Master Card (ex Yahoo JP) - good to fuel PayPay when sending money to friends, and allowed some 20% special payback offers in e.g. December 2023 in Minato-ku.

- Rakuten Mastercard - for Tsumitate NISA and RCash further fueling Tsumitate NISA;
- Rakuten Visa Gold - for Furusato shopping on Raktuen. Somehow I don't feel the big points when shopping on 0/5 days and the "Gold benefit" has also been marginalized during last Rakuten Points factor makeover. Thus considering to downgrade to silver Visa again without annual fee.

- Revolut JP Visa Card - only used occasionally as somehow can't be added to Apple Wallet. Great for spending fee free / FX optimal on trips abroad.
- [UK/EU] Curve Master Card - which is a meta card taking away foreign fees and providing for real FX conversion on weekdays. Great when travelling;

[Bronson]

I just signed up for the revamped Amex Gold card. High annual fee, but lots of perks that make up for it. There's also a new account bonus that is US-like in its largesse (120k points).