Rakuten Card, American Express and Revolut: compare fees, points, insurance and overseas costs to find the right card in Japan.
This comparison examines 7 cards in Japan, among them Rakuten Card, Revolut Standard, Amex Green Card, Revolut Premium, across the Visa, Revolut, American Express networks. Three things genuinely separate one card from another, and the annual fee is only the first: next come the bundled insurances, trip cancellation, medical cover abroad, baggage, purchase protection, whose value often exceeds the fee as soon as you travel, and foreign exchange charges, which quietly cost 2 to 3 per cent of every purchase in another currency with traditional issuers and nothing at all with the neobanks. Payment and withdrawal limits matter too, and they are negotiable. The table compares them line by line, without an overall score: the right card for a frequent traveller is not the right card for someone who rarely leaves home. Anyone going abroad twice a year usually saves more with a no-foreign-fee card than a premium card's insurance ever returns in claims.
Select 2 to 4 cards to compare side by side.
Visa
Amex
Revolut
| Criteria | Rakuten Card Standard | Revolut Premium Premium | Amex Gold Preferred Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
Annual Fee | Free for life | ¥980/month or ¥9,800/year | ¥39,600/year |
Payment Limit/month | Up to ¥1 million | Up to balance (debit card) | Within credit limit |
ATM Withdrawal Limit | Within credit limit | Up to balance (debit card) | Within credit limit |
Travel Insurance (Medical) | Overseas travel insurance (death and disability up to ¥20 million) | Not included in this plan | Not stated |
Trip Cancellation Insurance | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Baggage Insurance | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Purchase Protection | Not stated | No credit protection (debit) | Not stated |
Car Rental Insurance | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Concierge Service | Not stated | Not stated | Free hotel night for two subject to spend, dining benefits |
Airport Lounge Access | Not stated | Discounted lounge access | Not stated |
Points / Rewards | 1% in points (1 point per ¥100) | Not stated | Membership Rewards points |
Acceptance in Japan | Very wide (brand of your choice) | Wide (Visa or Mastercard depending on issue) | Good in Japan, narrower than Visa or JCB at small shops |
Overview of all cards. Scroll horizontally on mobile.
| Criteria | Rakuten Card Standard | Revolut Standard Standard | Amex Green Card Premium | Revolut Premium Premium | Amex Gold Preferred Premium | Revolut Metal High-end | Amex Platinum Card High-end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annual Fee | Free for life | Free | ¥1,100/month (¥13,200/year) | ¥980/month or ¥9,800/year | ¥39,600/year | ¥1,980/month or ¥19,800/year | ¥165,000/year |
Payment Limit/month | Up to ¥1 million | Up to balance (debit card) | Within credit limit | Up to balance (debit card) | Within credit limit | Up to balance (debit card) | Within credit limit |
ATM Withdrawal Limit | Within credit limit | Up to balance (debit card) | Within credit limit | Up to balance (debit card) | Within credit limit | Up to balance (debit card) | Within credit limit |
Travel Insurance (Medical) | Overseas travel insurance (death and disability up to ¥20 million) | Not included in this plan | Not stated | Not included in this plan | Not stated | Not included in this plan | Not stated |
Trip Cancellation Insurance | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Baggage Insurance | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Purchase Protection | Not stated | No credit protection (debit) | Not stated | No credit protection (debit) | Not stated | No credit protection (debit) | Not stated |
Car Rental Insurance | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Concierge Service | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Free hotel night for two subject to spend, dining benefits | Not stated | Platinum secretary service, travel benefits (Premium Free Stay Gift) |
Airport Lounge Access | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Discounted lounge access | Not stated | Discounted lounge access | Not stated |
Points / Rewards | 1% in points (1 point per ¥100) | Not stated | Membership Rewards points, Green Offers | Not stated | Membership Rewards points | 1% cashback on all card payments (capped at ¥5,000/month) | Membership Rewards points |
Acceptance in Japan | Very wide (brand of your choice) | Wide (Visa or Mastercard depending on issue) | Good in Japan, narrower than Visa or JCB at small shops | Wide (Visa or Mastercard depending on issue) | Good in Japan, narrower than Visa or JCB at small shops | Wide (Visa or Mastercard depending on issue) | Good in Japan, narrower than Visa or JCB at small shops |
Explore the details of each type of coverage and service.
| Card | Medical Travel | Trip Cancellation | Baggage | Car Rental |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rakuten Card | Overseas travel insurance (death and disability up to ¥20 million) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Revolut Standard | Not included in this plan | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Amex Green Card | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Revolut Premium | Not included in this plan | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Amex Gold Preferred | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Revolut Metal | Not included in this plan | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Amex Platinum Card | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
* Cover depends on each card's terms; "Not stated" means the issuer does not mention it on its product page.
Our recommendations based on your usage profile.
You travel often and want premium benefits.
¥165,000 a year: secretary service, travel benefits and four free family cards. Revolut Metal (¥1,980/month): 0% overseas fee, unlimited exchange and 1% cashback.
You want a free card.
Free for life, 1% points on purchases and overseas travel insurance. Revolut Standard: free, 0% overseas fee and fee-free exchange up to ¥300,000 a month.
You want to earn points and enjoy dining perks.
¥39,600 a year: Membership Rewards, a free hotel night subject to spend and dining benefits. Amex Green: ¥1,100 a month, no annual commitment.
You often pay in foreign currency.
¥980 a month: 0% overseas payment fee, unlimited exchange and ¥50,000 of free withdrawals a month. Revolut Standard: 1% weekend markup.
JCB is the Japanese-born international network, accepted almost everywhere in Japan. Abroad, Visa and Mastercard are more widely accepted. Many cards, such as the Rakuten Card, let you choose the brand.
Collected in October 2026, tax included: Green Card ¥1,100 a month, Gold Preferred ¥39,600 a year, Platinum ¥165,000 a year.
With ribo-barai you repay a fixed monthly amount and the remaining balance accrues high interest. Prefer one-time payment (ikkatsu-barai), which is free.
Standard free, Premium ¥980 a month (¥9,800 a year) and Metal ¥1,980 a month (¥19,800 a year). Overseas payments carry no fee; exchange is free up to ¥300,000 a month on Standard, unlimited above. Free overseas withdrawals from ¥25,000 to ¥100,000 a month, then 2%.
Always pay in the local currency and decline conversion into yen offered by the terminal or ATM (dynamic currency conversion), whose rate is usually worse.
Yes, the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan protects up to ¥10 million of principal per depositor per bank, plus interest.
Japan's card market is distinctive. JCB, the only Japanese-born international payment network, is accepted almost everywhere in the country. Visa and Mastercard offer better coverage abroad, while American Express targets the premium segment with its points programmes. Revolut also offers its plans in Japan, with no fee on overseas payments.
Cashless payment is growing in Japan, supported by public policy. The three megabanks (MUFG, SMBC and Mizuho) issue many cards through their subsidiaries, and Rakuten Card has become a leader with a free-for-life card earning 1% in points. Mobile payments and transport cards (Suica, PASMO) complete the picture.
The point system (poikatsu) is at the heart of Japan's card culture. Each card offers a rewards program: Oki Doki for JCB, Membership Rewards for Amex, V Points for SMBC, and issuer-specific programs. Points can be converted to airline miles (ANA Mileage Club, JAL Mileage Bank), e-money (Suica, nanaco, WAON), or gift vouchers. Japanese Gold cards offer free access to domestic airport lounges. Rakuten Card (no annual fee) dominates the mass market, while premium cards (JCB The Class, Amex Platinum, Diners Club Premium) offer exclusive experiences: Michelin-starred restaurants, concerts, and private events.
Annual fees range from zero (Rakuten Card) to ¥165,000 a year (Amex Platinum), as of October 2026. Revolving payment (ribo-barai) carries high interest; one-time payment (ikkatsu-barai) is free. Overseas payments carry processing fees set by each issuer, except Revolut (0%). The Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan protects deposits up to ¥10 million of principal.
For a Japan resident, the Rakuten Card is a good starting point: free for life, 1% in points and overseas travel insurance. For travel, add Revolut, with no fee on overseas payments. Frequent travellers should compare the Amex Gold Preferred (¥39,600 a year) and Platinum (¥165,000 a year) against the benefits they will actually use. Avoid ribo-barai.
* Fees collected in October 2026 from issuers' official pages (Rakuten Card, American Express, Revolut). They may change: check with the issuer before applying. Supervised by the FSA. Deposits protected up to ¥10 million (DICJ).