JCB Launches New Travel App 'MyJapan+ by JCB' Targeting 300,000 Downloads, Eyeing Taiwanese Tourists' Spending Power

(Central News Agency, Taipei, June 4) Eyeing the consumption potential of Taiwanese travelers, Japanese international credit card organization JCB announced today the launch of a new travel application, 'MyJapan+ by JCB.' The app integrates eSIM, smart product scanning, and GPS smart recommendation features. The first phase will focus on the Taiwanese market, with a target of 300,000 downloads to further promote local tourism and regional revitalization.

The enthusiasm of Taiwanese people for traveling to Japan remains high. According to statistics from the Japan Tourism Agency, the total consumption expenditure of foreign visitors to Japan in the first quarter of this year is estimated at 2.3378 trillion yen (approximately NT$460.9 billion), a year-on-year increase of 2.5%. Among them, Taiwanese tourists showed the strongest purchasing power, spending 388.4 billion yen (approximately NT$76.5 billion), accounting for 16.6% of the total.

JCB held a press conference today, announcing the launch of the 'MyJapan+ by JCB' app in late June this year. Taiwan will be the first global market for the app, which integrates eSIM, smart product scanning, and GPS smart recommendation features. Users can scan product barcodes to view product information and user reviews in Chinese, thereby enhancing their travel experience in Japan.

Kazuyuki Katayama, Representative of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office, stated that Japan and Taiwan have deep exchanges in various fields. Last year, the number of Taiwanese visitors to Japan reached 6.76 million, setting a new historical record for the second consecutive year. He also noted that Taiwanese tourists not only visit major cities like Tokyo and Osaka and famous tourist destinations like Kyoto but also extend their travels to rural areas of Japan, fully experiencing the charm of each region.

Katayama particularly highlighted the consumption willingness of Taiwanese tourists. Last year, the total annual consumption of Taiwanese tourists in Japan exceeded 1.2 trillion yen (approximately NT$236.5 billion), and the consumption boom has not diminished this year. He remarked that this deeply demonstrates the contribution and impact of Taiwanese visitors to the Japanese economy.

According to JCB, related surveys show that the average monthly usage rate of JCB cards among Taiwanese visitors to Japan is about 30%. Last year, the consumption amount of JCB cards issued in Taiwan spent in Japan grew by 15% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, excluding JCB members residing in Japan and only counting the spending of overseas-issued JCB members in Japan, approximately 70% comes from Taiwanese JCB members.

Katsuki Yōkawa, Representative Director and President of JCB International, mentioned that JCB has been expanding its business in Taiwan since 1981. It currently partners with 24 banks in Taiwan and has 7 million cardmembers. He also noted that Taiwan was one of the first markets outside Japan to introduce services like Apple Pay.

Ryo Morita, General Manager of JCB Taiwan, stated that the enthusiasm and spending power of Taiwanese travelers for Japan are among the highest in the world. They are not only a key source market for Japanese tourism but have also become a core driver for JCB's overseas consumption growth. Therefore, choosing Taiwan as the global launch market for 'MyJapan+ by JCB' is particularly symbolic.

Morita also said that 'MyJapan+ by JCB' aims to achieve 1 million global downloads within three years. The first phase will focus on the Taiwanese market, with the primary goal of reaching 300,000 downloads within one year. Currently, JCB's market share in Taiwan is about 13% in terms of cards in circulation and about 8% in terms of transaction value.

JCB explained that 'MyJapan+ by JCB' is a travel application developed in collaboration with Japanese telecom operator KDDI, KDDI Digital Life, and Japanese database platform Payke. Upon launch, it will offer eSIM discount campaigns and up to 10% cashback to promote local tourism and regional revitalization. (Editor: Yang Kaixiang) 1150604

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