Visa has partnered Japan Net Bank (JNB) on the country's first virtual debit card programme for online merchant payments.
JNB was launched by Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group in 2000 as Japan's first Net-only bank and now claims two million customers.
Under the Visa programme, customers requesting a virtual card will be issued with a unique 16-digit debit account number which will draw funds from a nominated JNB account.
The "cards" are only valid for 10 days and can be used for purchases up to the value of $1000 at online merchants around the world that accept Visa.
Mitsuhiro Komura, senior executive MD, JNB, adds: "With the launch of JNB's Virtual Visa Debit service, we are able to provide our customers with a convenient and safe way of making payments at online merchants."