JCB, a major global payment brand and leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan, today announced that JCB cardmembers with cards issued outside of Japan will be able to use their cards for cash advance services at more than 12,000 Seven Bank ATMs throughout Japan from July 11.
Seven Bank operates a nationwide network of ATMs open around the clock, primarily located at the world's best-known convenience store, 7-Eleven. The screen, audio messages, and receipts of all Seven Bank ATMs are available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese, providing both tourist and business travelers with even greater convenience. With the addition of Seven Bank ATMs, JCB cards issued outside of Japan can now be used at more than 44,000 ATMs in the countryside as well as in major cities across the country.
Ever since JCB began overseas expansion in 1981, it has been providing high quality service to its cardmembers when traveling abroad as well as enhancing the JCB acceptance network worldwide. Over the years JCB's global strategy has evolved, with increasing numbers of JCB brand cards being issued by JCB partner banks and financial institutions to local residents of 18 countries/territories in addition to Japan, with particularly strong growth in Asia. Currently, approximately 3.75 million JCB cardmembers outside Japan use their cards for purchases and cash advances in their home countries and abroad.
The number of travelers to Japan has been growing in recent years, due in part to the Japanese government's Visit Japan Campaign. In 2005, more than 6.8 million inbound tourists and business travelers came to Japan, and the demand for ATMs has also been growing fast.
"JCB has always provided the careful service that Japan is famous for, such as special benefits at selected merchants and our exclusive service desks", Tamio Takakura, JCB's president and chief executive officer, said. "Thanks to the arrangement with Seven Bank offering a convenient ATM network nationwide, JCB will be able to offer even better service to the increasing number of travelers carrying JCB cards to Japan."
"Also I would like to mention that JCB will serve as gateway switch between Seven Bank and China UnionPay through this arrangement. As a result, China UnionPay's more than one billion cardmembers can enjoy access to cash at Seven Bank ATMs when they visit Japan. It is our sincere hope that JCB will play a role as a bridge between China and Japan, by promoting even closer relations between these two mega-companies, major providers of retail financial services in their respective markets."
JCB is committed to enhancing JCB brand value, as well as contributing to the Japanese tourist economy, through continuing endeavors to provide increased convenience to JCB brand cardmembers worldwide.