Payment methods in Japan

From cash to convenience store, Japan is a curious region when it comes to payments. Japan is still a predominantly cash-based country, with the third-highest cash usage rate in the developed world. In 2018, cash payments made up 82% of all payments.

While cash and ecommerce don’t necessarily make great bedfellows, Japan’s ecommerce market is the fourth largest in the world, in large part due to Konbini payments. Konbini, or convenience store payments, are the second most-used payment method in Japan, making up 10% of purchases. Konbini payment offers an easy way to tap into the cash market for ecommerce due to the ubiquity of 24/7 convenience stores found across the country.

Japan has some of the lowest cross-border shopping rates in the world. Just over 10% of Japanese consumers shop on overseas websites, so if you’re thinking of expanding to Japan, localization could play a key role in your success, from the product listings and keywords you use to the payment options you provide.