[Registration as a business that concludes contracts to handle credit card numbers, etc.] Explanatory materials | Download form

Updated: July 2026, 1

In order to enter into Japan's payment ecosystem and enter into a merchant agreement, it is essential to register with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in accordance with the revised Installment Sales Act.
This registration is not simply a paper application, but an extremely specialized process that calls into question the organization's personnel structure and sophisticated information management system.

In this document, our team of financial licensing experts provides a thorough explanation of the roadmap and important practical points required to complete registration.

✅Expert knowledge gained from this document

• Overcoming strict rejection reasons: Required conditions to check before registration, such as whether or not the company has legal status and a domestic business office.
• Four pillars of the management system: Personnel composition, merchant investigation regulations, data protection including PCI DSS compliance, and how to build a system for protecting personal information.
• Japan Credit Association (JCA) CountermeasuresA strategic schedule that takes into account the virtually mandatory association membership process and four annual board meetings.
• A complete overview of the 7 steps of applicationDetails of the process, which lasts more than six months, from preliminary consultations to draft review and the actual application.

Please use this guide as your partner to help you navigate complex regulations and achieve your goals.