Japan Credit Card Rewards Calculator: Points and Cashback, Net of the Annual Fee
Enter your monthly card spending (everyday, convenience-store and restaurant chains, Amazon, utilities, mobile Suica, overseas) and your card-funded fund investing, and see each card's net yearly value after the annual fee. Compares Sumitomo Mitsui (NL, Gold, Platinum Preferred), Recruit, Rakuten, JCB W, Epos Gold, JRE CARD, Luxury Card and more, using the rates and conditions on each issuer's own pages.
With ¥2,580,000 a year on cards
Recruit Card (JCB) comes out best at ¥30,420 a year (1.18%). Among cards with no annual fee, the baseline is Recruit Card (JCB) at ¥30,420 a year (1.18%).
| Card | Net value a year (after the annual fee) | vs. baseline | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
Recruit Card (JCB)Breakdown: Everyday ¥21,600, Konbini & chains ¥1,440, Amazon ¥2,880, Utilities & phone ¥3,600, Suica top-ups ¥900 No annual fee | ¥30,420 1.18% | Baseline | Recommended |
Sumitomo Mitsui Card Gold (NL)Breakdown: Everyday ¥9,000, Konbini & chains ¥8,400, Amazon ¥1,200, Utilities & phone ¥1,500, Yearly bonus ¥10,000 Annual fee waived — condition met | ¥30,100 1.17% | −¥320 | Up to you |
Epos Gold CardBreakdown: Everyday ¥9,000, Konbini & chains ¥600, Amazon ¥1,200, Utilities & phone ¥1,500, Yearly bonus ¥10,000 Annual fee waived — condition met | ¥22,300 0.86% | −¥8,120 | Up to you |
Rakuten CardBreakdown: Everyday ¥18,000, Konbini & chains ¥1,200, Amazon ¥2,400, Utilities & phone ¥600 No annual fee | ¥22,200 0.86% | −¥8,220 | Up to you |
Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL)Breakdown: Everyday ¥9,000, Konbini & chains ¥8,400, Amazon ¥1,200, Utilities & phone ¥1,500 No annual fee | ¥20,100 0.78% | −¥10,320 | Recommended |
Sumitomo Mitsui Card Platinum PreferredBreakdown: Everyday ¥18,000, Konbini & chains ¥8,400, Amazon ¥2,400, Utilities & phone ¥3,000, Yearly bonus ¥20,000 Annual fee of ¥33,000 deducted | ¥18,800 0.73% | −¥11,620 | Up to you |
JRE CARDBreakdown: Everyday ¥9,000, Konbini & chains ¥600, Amazon ¥1,200, Utilities & phone ¥1,500, Suica top-ups ¥1,800 Annual fee of ¥524 deducted | ¥13,576 0.53% | −¥16,844 | Up to you |
Saison Pearl American Express CardBreakdown: Everyday ¥9,000, Konbini & chains ¥2,400, Amazon ¥1,200, Utilities & phone ¥750 No annual fee | ¥13,350 0.52% | −¥17,070 | Up to you |
d CARD (standard)Breakdown: Everyday ¥9,000, Konbini & chains ¥600, Amazon ¥1,200, Utilities & phone ¥1,500 No annual fee | ¥12,300 0.48% | −¥18,120 | Not recommended |
Luxury Card TitaniumBreakdown: Everyday ¥18,000, Konbini & chains ¥1,200, Amazon ¥2,400, Utilities & phone ¥3,000, Suica top-ups ¥1,200 Annual fee of ¥75,000 deducted | -¥49,200 -1.91% | −¥79,620 | Not recommended |
Luxury Card BlackBreakdown: Everyday ¥22,500, Konbini & chains ¥1,500, Amazon ¥3,000, Utilities & phone ¥3,750, Suica top-ups ¥1,500 Annual fee of ¥150,000 deducted | -¥117,750 -4.56% | −¥148,170 | Not recommended |
Luxury Card GoldBreakdown: Everyday ¥27,000, Konbini & chains ¥1,800, Amazon ¥3,600, Utilities & phone ¥4,500, Suica top-ups ¥1,800 Annual fee of ¥295,000 deducted | -¥256,300 -9.93% | −¥286,720 | Not recommended |
These are the results for putting everything on one card. For the best split across two or more cards, use the card-combination calculator.
The 19 cards in the calculation, and the official pages checked
- Recruit Card (JCB) RecommendedNo annual fee, ever. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Recruit Card (official, Japanese) — 1.2% rate, also on utilities and phone bills / Recruit Card (official, Japanese) — electronic-money top-ups (nanaco, mobile Suica) earn 0.75%, up to ¥30,000 a month, from 16 February 2022 / Mitsubishi UFJ Nicos (Japanese) — Recruit Card Visa/Mastercard: 1.2% on shopping
- Rakuten Card Up to youNo annual fee, ever. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Rakuten Card (official, Japanese) — 1% rate, no annual fee / Rakuten Card (official, Japanese) — uses with different rates (utilities and taxes: 1 point per ¥500; mobile Suica: not eligible) / Rakuten Securities (Japanese) — point rates for card-funded fund purchases
- JCB Card W Up to youNo annual fee, ever (join at 18–39). You can apply at 18–39 (and keep the card, still free, after 40). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).JCB Card W (official, Japanese) — 1.0% base, Amazon 4× points, no annual fee, ages 18–39 / JCB (Japanese) — J-POINT and J-POINT partner stores (conditions) / JCB (Japanese) — uses that earn no J-POINT (mobile Suica and other e-money top-ups, annual fees, cash advances)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL) RecommendedNo annual fee, ever. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — V Point Up Program (eligible stores, phone contactless, conditions) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (NL and standard cards)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card Gold (NL) Up to you¥5,500. Free from the next year once you spend ¥1,000,000 or more in a year. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — Gold (NL): free from the next year at ¥1M a year, 10,000 points every year / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (Gold) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — V Point Up Program (eligible stores, phone contactless, conditions)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card Platinum Preferred Up to you¥33,000. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — Platinum Preferred (yearly bonus, overseas, Reward Up) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (Platinum Preferred) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — V Point Up Program (eligible stores, phone contactless, conditions)
- Epos Gold Card Up to you¥5,000. Free from the next year once you spend ¥500,000 or more in a year. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Epos Card (Japanese) — Epos Gold Card (annual fee; free from the next year at ¥500,000 a year) / Epos Card (Japanese) — Gold Card yearly bonus points (2,500 at ¥500,000; 10,000 at ¥1,000,000) / Epos Card FAQ (Japanese) — how points are calculated (1 point per ¥200 incl. tax) and which uses earn none / Epos Card (Japanese) — end of points on top-ups of payment services (mobile Suica etc.) from 1 August 2026
- JRE CARD Up to youFree the first year, then ¥524 (free if you pay JR East Sports monthly fees by card). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).JR East (Japanese/English) — JRE CARD (1.5% on Suica top-ups, ¥524 annual fee) / View Card FAQ (Japanese) — uses that earn no JRE POINT (mobile Suica is not among them) / JR East (Japanese) — utilities and phone bills on a View card (5 points per ¥1,000 = 0.5%)
- Saison Pearl American Express Card Up to youFree if you use it at least once a year (¥1,100 in the first year). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Saison Card (Japanese) — Saison Pearl American Express (QUICPay up to 2%, ¥300,000 a year) / Saison Card FAQ (Japanese) — uses with no points or different rates (taxes, electricity, gas, water and NHK: 1 point per ¥2,000; mobile Suica top-ups: none)
- d CARD (standard) Not recommendedFree (from January 2027, ¥1,650 in a year after a year with no use). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).NTT Docomo (Japanese) — d Card point-rate and annual-fee changes (January 2027) / NTT Docomo (Japanese) — d Card point notes (mobile Suica and other top-ups excluded; utilities and taxes eligible)
- Luxury Card Titanium Not recommended¥75,000 (now ¥55,000; the new fee applies to new applications from 1 Jan 2027 and to existing members from February 2027 billing). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — points programme (rates, mile exchange) / Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — annual-fee revision notice (January 2027)
- Luxury Card Black Not recommended¥150,000 (now ¥110,000; the new fee applies to new applications from 1 Jan 2027 and to existing members from February 2027 billing). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — points programme (rates, mile exchange) / Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — annual-fee revision notice (January 2027)
- Luxury Card Gold Not recommended¥295,000 (now ¥220,000; the new fee applies to new applications from 1 Jan 2027 and to existing members from February 2027 billing). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — points programme (rates, mile exchange) / Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — annual-fee revision notice (January 2027)
- ANA JCB CARD FIRST RecommendedFree for 5 years (ages 18–29, excluding students). For ages 18–29 (excluding students). Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).ANA (Japanese) — ANA card list (annual fees, shopping miles) / JCB (Japanese) — ANA JCB CARD FIRST renewal notice (automatic switch to the ANA JCB standard card after five years)
- JAL Card (standard) + Shopping Mile Premium Up to you¥2,200 (free the first year) + ¥4,950 for Premium. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).JAL Card (Japanese) — standard card (annual fee, shopping miles, Premium)
- ANA VISA Card (standard) + 2x course Up to you¥2,200 (free the first year) + ¥6,600 transfer fee for the 2x course. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).ANA (Japanese) — ANA card list (annual fees, shopping miles) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — ANA card mileage transfer (2x course, ¥6,600 fee)
- ANA VISA Platinum Premium Card Not recommended¥96,800. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).ANA (Japanese) — ANA card list (annual fees, shopping miles) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — ANA card mileage transfer (2x course, ¥6,600 fee) / Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — ANA VISA Platinum Premium annual-fee revision (¥88,000 → ¥96,800 for payments on or after 10 December 2025)
- Marriott Bonvoy American Express Premium Card Not recommended¥82,500. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).American Express (Japanese) — Marriott Bonvoy points (3 points per ¥100) / American Express (Japanese) — Marriott Bonvoy Premium Card (¥82,500 annual fee) / Marriott Bonvoy (Japanese) — points to miles (3:1, 5,000 bonus miles per 60,000 points)
- American Express Gold Preferred Card + ANA course Up to you¥39,600 + ¥5,500 ANA course fee. Checked 2026-10-09 (re-check by 2027-03-31).American Express (Japanese) — Gold Preferred Card (¥39,600 annual fee) / ANA (Japanese) — American Express Membership Rewards ANA course / American Express (Japanese) — Membership Rewards (1 point per ¥100; some merchants excluded or 1 point per ¥200)
Approximate estimates only, for a steady state from the second year onward. Welcome offers, first-year-only perks, airport lounges, insurance and hotel perks are not included. One point is counted as ¥1, and each card's rates, fees and conditions are those on the issuer's official page on the date shown in the card's entry; they change often, so confirm on the official page before you apply. Items marked "Assumed" are estimates because no official page could be found to confirm them. This is not tax, legal, or financial advice.
How it is calculated
- Your monthly card spending is split into six rows — everyday spending, eligible convenience-store and restaurant chains (paid by phone contactless), Amazon, utilities and phone bills, mobile Suica top-ups and passes, and overseas — and multiplied by 12.
- For each card, each row is multiplied by that card's rate for it (the rate including the base points), giving yearly points at ¥1 a point. Rates with a limit (Recruit's Suica top-ups, Saison Pearl's QUICPay) apply only up to the limit.
- Yearly spend-based bonuses (Gold (NL)'s 10,000 points, Platinum Preferred's loyalty bonus, Epos Gold's yearly bonus) and card-funded investing points are added. Each card counts spend differently toward its thresholds — Sumitomo Mitsui does not count mobile Suica top-ups or passes.
- The annual fee is subtracted. Where a fee is waived once spend reaches a line (Gold (NL): ¥1M; Epos Gold: ¥500,000), the fee is treated as free.
- The best card with no annual fee becomes the baseline, and every card is shown against it. In most cases the baseline is the 1.2% Recruit Card.
Examples: the best single card for four spending patterns
These are the calculator's own results for four patterns of a salaried worker who also uses convenience stores, Amazon, utilities and Suica. Patterns with card-funded investing include its points.
| Pattern | Best card with no annual fee | Best single card | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¥1.8M a year (¥150K a month), commuting and convenience stores | Recruit ¥21,330 | SMBC Gold (NL) ¥26,500 | ¥5,170 |
| ¥3M a year (¥250K a month), ¥50K a month into card-funded investing | Recruit ¥35,460 | SMBC Gold (NL) ¥38,200 | ¥2,740 |
| ¥6M a year (¥500K a month), ¥100K a month into card-funded investing | Recruit ¥71,460 | Platinum Preferred ¥118,600 | ¥47,140 |
| Age 29, ¥1.44M a year (¥120K a month) | Recruit ¥17,010 | SMBC Gold (NL) ¥24,700 | ¥7,690 |
At ¥1.8M a year (pattern A), Gold (NL) gives ¥26,500 against Recruit's ¥21,330 — ¥5,170 more. Its ¥5,500 fee becomes free once you spend over ¥1M a year, and a 10,000-point bonus is paid every year.
At ¥6M a year with ¥100,000 a month into card-funded investing (pattern C), Platinum Preferred gives ¥118,600 against the free Recruit card's ¥71,460 — a difference of ¥47,140. The reason is that investing earns 3% once yearly card spend reaches ¥5M; on everyday spending alone there is no difference.
How to read the numbers: measure everything against a free 1.2%
The Recruit Card has no annual fee and pays 1.2% even on utilities and phone bills: ¥36,000 on ¥3M a year, against ¥30,000 for the 1% Rakuten Card. A card with an annual fee, or one that pays a lot only at certain stores, has to beat that baseline.
On everyday spending alone, Gold (NL) beats the 1.2% card only between ¥1M and about ¥1.43M a year. Below ¥1M you pay the fee and get no bonus; above it, the base rate of 0.5% — 0.7 points below the 1.2% card — outweighs the 10,000-point bonus.
On everyday spending alone, Platinum Preferred never beats the free 1.2% card, however much you spend. It pays off for people whose card-funded investing earns 2% or 3% (yearly card spend of ¥3M or ¥5M) and for those who use its partner-store boosts.
All three Luxury Card tiers — Titanium (1.0%), Black (1.25%) and Gold (1.5%) — end up below the free 1.2% card after the annual fee in all four patterns. Hotel, dining and lounge perks are not valued here, so the judgement for someone who uses them is different.
FAQ
Q.Are no-annual-fee cards enough?
For most people, a free 1.2% card (the Recruit Card) as the baseline, plus one more card for the situations it does not cover, is enough. In pattern B above (¥3M a year), using the free Recruit Card and Sumitomo Mitsui Card (NL) together earns ¥45,420, more than the best single card, Gold (NL), at ¥38,200. The combination calculator works that out for your own numbers.
Cards with an annual fee pay off when you pass a published spending line (¥1M, ¥3M, ¥5M a year) or use something only that card has, such as the higher card-funded investing rates.
Q.Are utilities, taxes and Suica top-ups earned at the same rate on every card?
No. Rakuten Card pays 0.2% on utilities and taxes (1 point per ¥500), a fifth of its normal 1%. Recruit pays 1.2% on utilities but only 0.75% on mobile Suica top-ups, up to ¥30,000 a month. Sumitomo Mitsui Card, Rakuten, JCB, Epos, Saison and d Card pay nothing on mobile Suica top-ups, and Sumitomo Mitsui does not count them toward its yearly ¥1M and similar lines either.
Only JRE CARD pays more on mobile Suica: 1.5% on top-ups and 5% on commuter passes. The Luxury Card pays the same rate on utilities and top-ups. Each card's own page is listed under the calculator.
Q.Are welcome offers (5,000 points and so on) included?
No. Welcome offers are one-off, and their size and conditions change often. This calculator compares a year of holding the card from the second year on. Use the welcome offer as a tie-breaker after that.
Q.What are the assumptions, and what is not calculated?
One point is counted as ¥1; some points are worth less when exchanged (Saison's Eternal Points, for example). Annual fees are the amounts already decided for January 2027 onward (the Luxury Card, for example). Bonuses and fee waivers are judged only on whether yearly spend reaches the line, not on the issuer's exact counting period.
Not calculated: economic-zone boosts such as Rakuten's SPU, JCB W's 10.5% at partner stores (Starbucks, McDonald's, trains), Sumitomo Mitsui's Reward Up (up to +9% on Platinum Preferred), airline partner-store miles, welcome offers, lounge, insurance and hotel perks, revolving payments, and family-card pooling. Rates and fees change often, so confirm on the issuer's page before applying.
Sources
- Recruit Card (official, Japanese) — 1.2% rate, also on utilities and phone bills
- Recruit Card (official, Japanese) — electronic-money top-ups (nanaco, mobile Suica) earn 0.75%, up to ¥30,000 a month, from 16 February 2022
- Mitsubishi UFJ Nicos (Japanese) — Recruit Card Visa/Mastercard: 1.2% on shopping
- Rakuten Card (official, Japanese) — 1% rate, no annual fee
- Rakuten Card (official, Japanese) — uses with different rates (utilities and taxes: 1 point per ¥500; mobile Suica: not eligible)
- Rakuten Securities (Japanese) — point rates for card-funded fund purchases
- JCB Card W (official, Japanese) — 1.0% base, Amazon 4× points, no annual fee, ages 18–39
- JCB (Japanese) — J-POINT and J-POINT partner stores (conditions)
- JCB (Japanese) — uses that earn no J-POINT (mobile Suica and other e-money top-ups, annual fees, cash advances)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — V Point Up Program (eligible stores, phone contactless, conditions)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (NL and standard cards)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — Gold (NL): free from the next year at ¥1M a year, 10,000 points every year
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (Gold)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — Platinum Preferred (yearly bonus, overseas, Reward Up)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — card-funded investing: conditions and rates (Platinum Preferred)
- Epos Card (Japanese) — Epos Gold Card (annual fee; free from the next year at ¥500,000 a year)
- Epos Card (Japanese) — Gold Card yearly bonus points (2,500 at ¥500,000; 10,000 at ¥1,000,000)
- Epos Card FAQ (Japanese) — how points are calculated (1 point per ¥200 incl. tax) and which uses earn none
- Epos Card (Japanese) — end of points on top-ups of payment services (mobile Suica etc.) from 1 August 2026
- JR East (Japanese/English) — JRE CARD (1.5% on Suica top-ups, ¥524 annual fee)
- View Card FAQ (Japanese) — uses that earn no JRE POINT (mobile Suica is not among them)
- JR East (Japanese) — utilities and phone bills on a View card (5 points per ¥1,000 = 0.5%)
- Saison Card (Japanese) — Saison Pearl American Express (QUICPay up to 2%, ¥300,000 a year)
- Saison Card FAQ (Japanese) — uses with no points or different rates (taxes, electricity, gas, water and NHK: 1 point per ¥2,000; mobile Suica top-ups: none)
- NTT Docomo (Japanese) — d Card point-rate and annual-fee changes (January 2027)
- NTT Docomo (Japanese) — d Card point notes (mobile Suica and other top-ups excluded; utilities and taxes eligible)
- Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — points programme (rates, mile exchange)
- Luxury Card (official, Japanese) — annual-fee revision notice (January 2027)
- ANA (Japanese) — ANA card list (annual fees, shopping miles)
- JCB (Japanese) — ANA JCB CARD FIRST renewal notice (automatic switch to the ANA JCB standard card after five years)
- JAL Card (Japanese) — standard card (annual fee, shopping miles, Premium)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — ANA card mileage transfer (2x course, ¥6,600 fee)
- Sumitomo Mitsui Card (Japanese) — ANA VISA Platinum Premium annual-fee revision (¥88,000 → ¥96,800 for payments on or after 10 December 2025)
- American Express (Japanese) — Marriott Bonvoy points (3 points per ¥100)
- American Express (Japanese) — Marriott Bonvoy Premium Card (¥82,500 annual fee)
- Marriott Bonvoy (Japanese) — points to miles (3:1, 5,000 bonus miles per 60,000 points)
- American Express (Japanese) — Gold Preferred Card (¥39,600 annual fee)
- ANA (Japanese) — American Express Membership Rewards ANA course
- American Express (Japanese) — Membership Rewards (1 point per ¥100; some merchants excluded or 1 point per ¥200)