NTT Data partners with NPCI to enable UPI payments for Indians in Japan

The partnership marks UPI's first entry into an East Asian market and aims to make digital transactions easier for Indian tourists while boosting Japan's cashless economy

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NTT Data has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) to enable acceptance of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions for Indian tourists in Japan.

 

“By initiating the partnership for UPI acceptance in Japan, we aim to make shopping and payments more convenient for Indian tourists while helping Japanese merchants capture new opportunities,” said Masanori Kurihara, Head of Payments Services Sector, NTT Data.

 

NIPL, the arm responsible for the internationalisation of UPI, along with NTT Data, will jointly examine opportunities for UPI enablement in Japan.

 

Partnership aims to expand UPI’s global footprint

 

“The MoU with NTT Data lays the foundation for enabling UPI acceptance in Japan. It also reflects our ambition to take UPI to more international markets and establish it as one of the most trusted digital payment systems globally,” said Ritesh Shukla, managing director and chief executive officer (CEO), NIPL.

 

The MoU includes assessing the real-time payments system’s potential for merchants and consumers.

 

The company will facilitate merchant transactions across Japan, according to the MoU, which comes as NIPL continues to internationalise the acceptance of UPI in global markets.

 

Japan joins growing list of UPI-enabled countries

 

Currently, UPI acceptance is available in countries such as Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Mauritius, and France.

 

The initiation of the UPI partnership marks the first for an East Asian country.

 

“With Indian tourism to Japan on the rise, this initiative will not only contribute to merchant competitiveness by diversifying payment options but also support Japan’s broader cashless strategy,” NTT Data said in a statement.

 

NPCI operates UPI in India with over 500 million users.