====== What is a Cash Card in Japan? ======

New residents in [[Japan]] might find themselves looking at bank accounts. Many bank accounts in Japan **do not come with debit cards** by-default, as one might be familiar with from other countries, like the United States.

Japan calls the default bank card a "cash card" (キャッシュカード) instead. A cash card is simply a card that works at domestic ATMs for withdrawing cash. Many new residents end up finding this out by getting a Japan Post bank account (Yucho Direct+), and being issued a cash card.

A cash card, by-default, cannot be used to buy things online, nor can it be used directly at a store to pay for a product. In the case of Japan Post Bank, you need to apply separately for a debit card, and it is actually relatively difficult to do this without having a visa longer than 1 year.

Both [[Sony Bank]] and SMBC Prestia offer cash cards with Visa Debit functionality by-default, side stepping this issue. However, Sony Bank's newer terms say that if you don't use the Visa Debit part of the card for 2 years, they'll issue a cash card as your replacement card when your current one expires.

===== What is J-Debit? =====

Okay, so this whole article is only partially correct, but hear me out. Cash cards in Japan overwhelmingly [[https://jeppo.jp/banklist/?from=jdebit|support]] a standard called J-Debit. [[https://jeppo.jp/shoplist/?from=jdebit|Stores that accept J-Debit]] can use your cash card for purchases. This includes Yucho Direct+/Japan Post Bank. **However**, J-Debit is not supported nearly as widely as Visa or other international payment card standards. It is functionally unsafe to try to rely on using your cash card for transactions using J-Debit alone. At Japan Post Bank/Yucho Direct+, [[https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kojin/card/kj_crd_debit.html|you need to make sure J-Debit is enabled first]] before you can use it. It is not a by-default option.

J-Debit is limited to some supermarket chains, clinics, pharmacies, and other semi-important stores. Your average restaurant will not support J-Debit, nor will your average convenience store.