If you’ve been living in Japan, chances are you have seen those PayPay signs around cashiers or at the entrance of some shops and restaurants:
Japan, influenced by the trend of QR code payments in Asia, especially China, created PayPay (thanks to Softbank and Yahoo JP). I was hesitant to use it due to past issues (such as this one), but its growth convinced me. Now, many major companies and even some small shops accept PayPay, with some accepting only cash or PayPay.
You can think of the PayPay application as some kind of e-wallet you can top up and use to pay, but also to send money to friends (and many other growing features I will skip for now).
To use it is very simple: you scan the QR code of the shop and either the amount will be set automatically, or you will have to input it, confirm with the store clerk and send the money (with a “PayPay” noise you cannot mute).
How to open a PayPay account
First off, you will have to download the PayPay application. Here are the links for the App Store and for Google Play. If the links don’t work or if you cannot find the application on the stores by searching for it, it may be that it hasn’t been released in your country – but you will be able to find it using a Japanese account. Unfortunately, there are plenty of applications in Japan that have not been released in other countries – I personally switch between my Japanese and my home country Apple accounts fairly often.
You will then need to follow these four steps:
- Input your phone number (it has to be a Japanese number) and set a password of your choice.
- You will receive a one-time password by text message.
- Input it back in the app.
- You’re done!
Well, not exactly done. But as far as your account, it is now open!
To be able to unlock its full potential, you will have to deal with another part that may be a bit more tricky: your identity check (本人確認, honnin kakunin) to enable linking your bank account to the application.
Identity verification
To do your identity verification as a foreign resident, you will need a valid (non expired) my number plastic card. It will not work if you are only using the paper version as the application will ask for a “thickness check” of said card.
There are two ways to register your card: by scanning it if your phone allows it (most iPhones, some Android phones) or by taking pictures of it.
The first steps are the same regardless:
1. Go into your account.
2. Tap on the message saying your identity verification hasn’t be done (in Japanese 本人確認が完了していません).
3. Pick the first option for My Number Card (マイナンバーカード) – the driving license option is only available for Japanese nationals.
4. Pick your nationality from the list.
5. Pick either the scan (top option) or the pictures (bottom option) to validate the card. The scan is usually faster but there have been quite a few cases where it couldn’t go through – if that’s the case, try the pictures instead.
If you pick the scan option, you will be presented with the following screens:
6. Some explanations on how to scan your My Number Card.
7. Enter your card password (that you have set when you had it created/renewed).
8. The scanning screen.
9 – 10. A blinking test to ensure you’re human.
11. Input your name – as close as possible to the way it’s written on your card!
12. Select your profession.
13. Select the usage you’re planning for PayPay (private, business, both, other).
14. Confirm the information you’ve input so far.
15. Last screen! – saying your request for identity verification has been received.
If you pick the pictures option, the screens will be as follows:
6. Some explanations of the next steps to come.
7 – 8 – 9. Various angles to take a picture of your ID with.
10 – 11. A blinking test to ensure you’re human.
12. Input your name – as close as possible to the way it’s written on your card!
13. Input your birthday.
14. Select your profession.
15. Enter your address – again, as close as possible to the way it is on your ID.
16. Select the usage you’re planning for PayPay (private, business, both, other).
17. Confirm the information you’ve input so far.
18. Last screen! – saying your request for identity verification has been received.
Regardless of how you proceeded to request your identity verification, you will receive a notification after a little while saying you are now verified – if it went through.
There’s been a few difficulties I have experienced myself or seen online: please make sure to enter every piece of information as close as possible to the way it is written on the card. For example, you may want to make sure you input your address using the “complex” way (for example fully typing in 1丁目1番1 if that is the way it is on your card, and not just 1-1-1). For the eye blinking test, if it doesn’t go through, try with your phone closer or further away from your face.
If all fails, well, luckily, it doesn’t mean you won’t be able to use PayPay. However, you will have a spend limit set to your account, and your options to charge up your account with money will be limited.
Hopefully that was helpful! And if you have any tips on how to make the opening of a PayPay account even smoother, feel free to let us know in the comments.
Note on LINE Pay: Some of you may have seen one of PayPay’s “competitors”, LINE Pay, here and there. Turns out, they now belong to the same company after the Line Yahoo Group creation. As such, you can for now use LINE Pay on PayPay QR Codes, and LINE Pay will be shut down as of the end of April, 2025.
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