A major technical failure in Japan’s credit card payment network disrupted retail transactions and public transportation services across the country. Credit cards became unusable at locations ranging from convenience stores to train stations, while the Mobile Pasmo transit application also went offline.
Japan experienced widespread disruptions to daily life on Thursday morning after a large-scale payment system outage affected electronic transactions nationwide.
Due to the technical issue, credit card payments could not be processed across the country, preventing customers from making card purchases at convenience stores, kiosks, and numerous other businesses. The disruption affected both local residents and international tourists.
Digital Payment Disruptions Hit Public Transportation
The payment infrastructure failure also impacted public transportation.
According to Kyodo News, many passengers experienced difficulties purchasing train tickets, while access to the Mobile Pasmo application—widely used for public transportation in Tokyo—was unavailable. The outage of digital transit services led to congestion at train stations.
Cause of the Outage Still Unknown
Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS Co., one of Japan’s leading payment service providers, said the technical failure began at approximately 8:00 a.m. local time.
The company stated that the issue prevented credit card transactions from being processed at some merchants.
Similarly, Sumitomo Mitsui Card Co., another major payment provider in Japan, confirmed that its systems were also experiencing technical problems.
Restoration Efforts Underway
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the outage, and the disruption continues to affect digital payment infrastructure at numerous retail outlets and public transportation systems.
Payment companies have asked consumers for patience until services are fully restored, while Japanese authorities and technical teams from major credit card providers continue working to identify the cause of the failure and bring the affected systems back online.