A 1% base return rate on every purchase, bumped to 2% for the first six months, and zero annual fee. That is the Orico Card The Point offer, and it sits right at the top of the "foreigner-friendly" credit card lists across Japan in 2026.
But the application form is entirely in Japanese, customer support is Japanese-only, and the most common rejection reason has nothing to do with income. It has to do with a date printed on a small plastic card in your wallet.
This guide is written for the international student or new working professional who landed in Japan within the last two years and wants a real credit card, not a prepaid workaround.
Why the Orico Card The Point Keeps Showing Up on Every Foreigner List
Orico has around 11 million cardholders across Japan. The company is a financing corporation, not a bank, and that distinction matters for approval odds.
Financing companies tend to run lighter screening models than the major banks like SMBC or MUFG.
The card runs on Mastercard or JCB networks, which means coverage both inside Japan and abroad. And both iD and QUICPay contactless payment systems are built in, so tapping at a konbini or supermarket takes about two seconds.
The 2% Window That Makes Timing Matter
For the first six months after approval, every purchase earns 2.0% back in Orico Points instead of the standard 1.0%.
That is double the Rakuten Card's flat 1% rate during the exact window when new residents tend to spend the heaviest: furniture, appliances, bedding, kitchen supplies.
I would pick the Orico Card The Point over Rakuten specifically for someone moving into a new apartment, because a ¥300,000 setup spend at 2% earns ¥6,000 in points versus ¥3,000 at Rakuten's standard rate.
The math flips after month six, when both cards sit at 1%. But that first burst of spending is where Orico pulls ahead.
Orico Mall and Online Shopping Bonuses
Routing purchases through Orico Mall adds another 0.5% or more in bonus points on top of the base rate. Amazon Japan, Yahoo Shopping, and Rakuten Ichiba are all listed merchants. Points convert into Amazon gift certificates, T-Points, or airline miles.
The Residence Card Problem That Sinks Applications
Most articles about applying for the Orico Card The Point list income, employment, and documentation. All of those matter. But the single detail that causes the most rejections among foreigners is residence card expiry.
A reported case from early 2026 involved a Tokyo-based IT engineer earning ¥7.5 million per year who was rejected twice.
The reason had nothing to do with salary or employer size. His residence card had only 10 months remaining. After renewing to a three-year visa, he was approved within two weeks.
How Much Time Should Be Left on the Card?
Japanese issuers generally want at least six months of remaining residence status, and longer is better.
If a card expires in four months, Orico's system flags the applicant as a potential departure risk, regardless of income level. Check the expiry date on the back of the 在留カード before starting the application.
Address Mismatch: The Silent Killer
The address on the application must match the address registered on the back of the residence card.
If the applicant recently moved, the city hall (区役所 or 市役所) update needs to happen first. A mismatch between the two triggers an automatic flag during verification.
Documents and Eligibility for the Orico Card The Point
The application is open to anyone aged 18 or older with a valid Japanese address. High school students are excluded. No specific income threshold is published, but stability of employment carries more weight than raw salary numbers.
Gather these items before starting:
- Residence card (在留カード) with at least six months remaining
- Passport or My Number card for identity verification
- Japanese postpaid phone number (prepaid SIMs and foreign numbers are typically rejected at the verification stage)
- Proof of employment or enrollment: pay slips, company ID, or university student card
Missing even one of these is a fast path to rejection. The phone number requirement catches a lot of new arrivals off guard, since many start with a prepaid SIM from the airport.
Filling Out the Japanese-Only Application Form
The entire Orico application runs online in Japanese. No English version exists. Google Translate's camera mode or a browser translation extension can handle most fields, but a few sections need extra care.
Name Order and Spelling
Enter your name in romaji exactly as printed on the residence card. Same spacing, same order.
A single letter difference between the application and the card will trigger a manual review or outright denial. Japanese systems are strict about character matching.
Employment and Income Fields
The form asks for employer name, employer phone number, annual income, and length of employment.
Orico may call the employer to verify, so a heads-up to HR is a good idea. Companies that screen unknown calls sometimes block the verification attempt, and the application dies quietly.
Submission and the Wait
After submitting, preliminary results sometimes come back the same day. Full approval typically takes 3 to 10 business days. The physical card arrives by mail to the registered address, usually within two weeks of approval.
Some applicants receive a follow-up call or email asking for additional documents. This step feels stressful, but it is standard across Japanese financial institutions and is not a sign of impending rejection.
Orico Card The Point vs Rakuten Card for New Residents
Both cards are free. Both earn 1 point per ¥100. The comparison comes down to timing and ecosystem.
| Feature | Orico Card The Point | Rakuten Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ¥0 | ¥0 |
| Base return rate | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| First 6 months rate | 2.0% | 1.0% |
| Contactless payments | iD + QUICPay | Rakuten Edy |
| Online bonus portal | Orico Mall (0.5%+) | Rakuten Ichiba (SPU system) |
| Customer support language | Japanese only | Japanese only |
| Card networks | Mastercard, JCB | Visa, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX |
Rakuten wins for anyone deeply embedded in the Rakuten ecosystem (Rakuten Mobile, Rakuten Bank, Rakuten Ichiba shopping). Orico wins for the first six months of heavy setup spending and for dual contactless payment support.
After Approval: Credit Limits and Building History
New Orico cards typically start with a low credit limit, sometimes as low as ¥100,000 to ¥300,000 for first-time foreign applicants.
One thing most guides skip: Japan operates three separate credit bureaus (CIC, JICC, and KSC), and each covers different types of credit.
A single unpaid phone installment payment of even ¥1,000 on a 分割払い iPhone purchase will appear on the CIC file and can sink a future credit application. Check the Japan Financial Services Agency site for regulatory details on credit reporting.
Paying the monthly statement in full and on time is the single fastest way to build a Japanese credit history. Carrying a balance does not help the score. It just costs interest.
Questions People Ask About the Orico Card The Point Application
These are the searches that keep coming up for foreigners trying to get this card in Japan.
- Q: Can I apply for the Orico Card The Point on a student visa?
Students aged 18 and older can apply. A part-time job or scholarship documentation strengthens the application, but Orico does not publish a minimum income requirement for shopping credit. Cashback features still apply at the same rates. - Q: How long does Orico Card approval take for foreigners?
Typical turnaround is 3 to 10 business days after submission. Some applicants see same-day preliminary decisions, but the physical card delivery adds another week or two. Delays beyond three weeks are uncommon but possible during peak periods. - Q: What should I do if my Orico Card application gets denied?
Wait at least six months before reapplying. During that time, check the CIC credit file for any unpaid phone installments or utility bills. Renew the residence card if it has less than a year remaining. Each reapplication within a short window appears on the credit record and lowers approval odds.
Conclusion
The Orico Card The Point is one of the easier credit cards for foreigners to access in Japan, if the paperwork is tight. That six-month 2% window rewards anyone willing to time the application around a move or major purchase.
The residence card expiry date matters more than salary, so check it first, apply second. A rejected application is not the end, but spacing reapplications by at least six months keeps the credit file clean for the next try.
