Payment cards: the preferred payment method in Japan

GlobalData’s survey revealed that nearly 87.2% of Japanese consumers shopped online in the past six months, whilst only 5.7% of respondents said that they never did. This underscores the inclination of consumers in the region to conduct their shopping online, with the move being attributed to the increased convenience of this method, as well as the numerous online payment solutions currently present on the market. Additionally, the ecommerce market is projected to continue its growth, being estimated to reach USD 191.9 billion in 2024. Japanese consumers are increasingly leveraging digital platforms, making ecommerce an integral part of their shopping experience.

Furthermore, consumers were also encouraged to shop online by the presence of secure payment solutions, such as Mastercard ID Check, and accelerated checkout options, including PayPal Checkout. Also, GlobalData’s report highlighted that payment cards were amongst the most used tools for ecommerce purchases, with credit and charge cards having a dominant share of nearly 60.8%. Credit card usage increased due to the capabilities provided to consumers, including reward points, cashback, discounts at partner merchants, and the availability of instalment payment facilities. Even if payment cards are the dominant choice for Japanese individuals, alternative payment solutions are also predominantly utilised for online purchases and account for a 28% share.

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