Overview

• NPCI International Payments Ltd and NTT DATA Japan signed a memorandum of understanding on October 14 to establish the foundation for UPI acceptance in Japan.
• Planned acceptance would cover merchant locations managed or acquired by NTT DATA, enabling Indian travelers to pay by scanning QR codes with their usual UPI apps.
• No public rollout timeline was announced, with operational integration and testing expected before any launch.
• NTT DATA operates CAFIS, described as Japan’s largest card payment processing network linking merchants, banks, and ATMs.
• The move follows 208,000 Indian visits to Japan in January–August 2025, up 36% year on year, with anticipated benefits such as faster checkouts and improved customer satisfaction for merchants.