Users of NTT DoCoMo's Osaifu-Keitai wallet phones will be able to sign up to the DCMX mini mobile credit payment service, which will offer a monthly credit line of Y10,000. Purchases made using the m-payments service will be billed together with the user's monthly DoCoMo phone charges.

Customers will also be able to use their mobile phones to check remaining credit balances.

Users will also be issued either a Visa or MasterCard plastic card to make purchases at stores overseas, as well as at stores in Japan.

NTT DoCoMo says credit lines from 200,000 yen, as well as cash advances, will be available under a separate service, also called DCMX, which will be launched after DCMX mini.

Last month NTT DoCoMo, which has more than 50 million mobile phone subscribers, acquired an 18% stake in card issuer UC Card from Mizuho Bank, in a bid to expand the range of mobile payments services available to its customers. The company also bought a two per cent stake in national convenience store chain Lawson as part of its plans to expand the use of its wallet phones.