Indian tourists in Japan will soon be able to make seamless payments using UPI, thanks to a new partnership between NPCI International and NTT DATA Japan.
New Delhi
In a major step toward cross-border digital payments, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the global arm of the National Payments Corporation of India, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NTT DATA Japan to enable Unified Payments Interface (UPI) acceptance across Japan.
Under this partnership, NIPL and NTT DATA Japan will collaborate to introduce UPI at merchant locations managed by NTT DATA, allowing Indian tourists to make instant QR code-based payments through familiar UPI apps. The initiative aims to simplify transactions, enhance convenience, and promote seamless digital experiences for travellers.
Ritesh Shukla, MD & CEO of NIPL, said the collaboration marks a foundational step toward enabling UPI in Japan and aligns with India’s goal of expanding its digital payment ecosystem globally. NTT DATA Japan, a key subsidiary of the Tokyo-based NTT DATA Group, operates CAFIS — Japan’s largest card payment processing network.
The move comes as Japan witnesses a surge in Indian tourism, with over 208,000 Indian visitors recorded between January and August 2025 — a 36% rise from the same period last year.
Masanori Kurihara, Head of Payments at NTT DATA Japan, said the partnership will make payments more convenient for Indian travellers while helping Japanese merchants tap into growing tourism-driven business opportunities. The initiative underscores India’s vision of making UPI a globally trusted digital payment system.
