TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — JCB will launch a smartphone app this month for its Taiwanese credit card members visiting Japan, Nikkei Asia reported Thursday.
The app will provide travel-related information such as dining recommendations and store locations, while encouraging users to visit JCB-affiliated merchants across Japan, including in regional areas outside major cities.
The service will later expand to South Korea and Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, as JCB looks to strengthen its presence across Asian travel markets.
In its initial rollout, JCB will partner with Japanese telecom operator KDDI to offer low-cost prepaid eSIM services through the app. With user consent, location data will be used to deliver nearby store information, duty-free shop details and restaurant coupons.
JCB has about 38 million members across Asia but has faced challenges in reaching travelers during their trips. The company said many visitors increasingly travel beyond major metropolitan areas, making localized digital engagement more important.
JCB aims to reach 1 million app downloads within three years. As Japan’s only international credit card brand, it is pushing overseas expansion as domestic growth is constrained by the country’s aging and shrinking population.
