Nintendo Japan eShop Now Rejects Foreign Credit Cards And PayPal Accounts

In a significant shift in policy, payments using foreign-issued credit cards and PayPal accounts are no longer accepted by Nintendo eShop and My Nintendo Store in Japan. This change is set to impact many overseas gamers. Dive deeper to understand Nintendo's new policy and its implications for foreign consumers.

Nintendo’s New Policy On Overseas Customers Purchasing On Nintendo eShop And My Nintendo Store Japan

Termination Of Foreign Payments To “Prevent Fraudulent Use”

Nintendo eShop and My Nintendo Store Japan have ceased accepting credit cards and PayPal accounts issued overseas as part of a strategy to "prevent fraudulent use." Nintendo announced this new policy on its website and via Twitter (X) on January 30, 2025, with the change taking effect on March 25, 2025.

Nintendo encourages its foreign customers to switch to Japan-issued credit cards or other local payment methods to continue shopping on the Japanese eShop. "For customers who have previously used overseas-issued credit cards or PayPal accounts opened overseas, we ask that you please use other payment methods, such as credit cards issued in Japan," Nintendo stated.

The company has not provided detailed reasons for what constitutes "fraudulent use" or the rationale behind this decision. Importantly, this policy change will not impact games previously purchased through Nintendo’s Japanese eShop, allowing fans to continue enjoying their existing digital and physical collections from both Nintendo eShop and My Nintendo Store Japan.

Perks When Buying From Nintendo eShop and My Nintendo Store Japan

The Japanese eShop is a treasure trove for gamers, offering access to exclusive Switch titles that are not available in other regions. Additionally, overseas customers often find better deals and discounts on games due to favorable exchange rates.

Exclusive games available only on the Japanese eShop include the port of Yo-kai Watch 1 for the Nintendo Switch, Famicom Wars, Super Robot Wars T, Mother 3, various exclusive Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem titles, as well as a range of retro titles from the SNES and NES. With the new policy in place, access to these titles will be restricted for customers outside of Japan.

Alternative Payment Methods For Overseas Customers

Despite the new restrictions, there are still ways for overseas customers to purchase products from the Nintendo Japanese eShop. The primary method recommended by Nintendo is to acquire a Japanese-issued credit card, though this can be challenging for non-residents who typically need a residence card to apply.

An alternative is purchasing Japanese Nintendo eShop cards from online retailers such as Amazon JP and PlayAsia. These cards allow customers to add funds to their eShop account without revealing their location, providing a workaround to continue enjoying the Japanese eShop’s offerings.

As Nintendo prepares for its upcoming Nintendo Direct on April 2, 2025, focused on the Nintendo Switch 2 release, fans are eager for more details on this policy and potential future changes. This event could shed more light on Nintendo's evolving strategies and what it means for the global gaming community.