UPI Acceptance in Japan

National Payments Corporation of India — National Payments Corporation of India (NIPL), the global arm of India — National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone — NTT Data Japan to enable the acceptance of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) at merchant locations across Japan. This collaboration aims to simplify digital payments for Indian tourists visiting Japan, allowing them to make payments by scanning QR codes with their familiar UPI apps. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone — NTT Data Japan, which operates CAFIS, Japan's largest card payment processing network, will integrate UPI into its ecosystem. This initiative is a significant step towards expanding UPI's global footprint and enhancing the payment experience for Indian travelers, especially given the 36% increase in Indian tourists to Japan between January and August 2025. Officials like Ritesh Shukla of National Payments Corporation of India — National Payments Corporation of India and Masanori Kurihara of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone — NTT Data Japan have highlighted the partnership's importance in improving cross-border payments and offering more choices for inbound Indian travelers.