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UPI Set for Japan Launch After Trials with NTT Data to Serve Indian Tourists

India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is poised to expand to Japan, with a trial planned for FY26 through a partnership between NPCI and Japanese IT firm NTT Data. The move aims to cater to the rapidly growing number of Indian tourists visiting Japan, which saw a 35% year-on-year increase. UPI's domestic success, where it dominates in-store payments, is fueling its global export to countries like Singapore, France, and the UAE. The system's shared-platform design has been key to its adoption, with transactions soaring to 185.8 billion in fiscal 2024.

Key Points: UPI Payment System to Launch in Japan After Trials

  • UPI trial in Japan by FY26
  • Targets surging Indian tourist numbers
  • Part of global expansion to 8+ countries
  • Driven by shared-platform design and fintech adoption
2 min read

India's UPI likely to land in Japan after trials with NTT Data: Report

India's UPI payment network is trialing in Japan with NTT Data, aiming to serve the growing number of Indian tourists abroad by FY26.

"The companies are considering ways to connect Japanese and Indian payment networks. - Nikkei Asia report"

New Delhi, Jan 24

India's QR‑code payment network, the Unified Payments Interface, is expanding beyond its borders, with Japan among countries trialling the system to serve growing numbers of Indian tourists, a report has said.

The report from Nikkei Asia said that Japanese IT services company NTT Data is partnering with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to run a trial in Japan in FY26 that would let Indian tourists pay with UPI and have their Indian bank accounts debited.

"The companies are considering ways to connect Japanese and Indian payment networks," the report said.

The move aims to capture a surging number of Indian tourists as Japan received about 3.15 lakh visitors from India in 2025, up 35 per cent year‑on‑year.

McKinsey has projected the number of outbound trips from India rising from 13 million in 2022 to 90 million in 2040, as growing middle-class incomes fuel an appetite for foreign trips, the report said.

UPI, launched in 2016 as a government‑led initiative, has become part of everyday life and allows a single QR code to be used by major payment applications.

UPI transactions rose 42 per cent in fiscal 2024 to 185.8 billion, and an IMF report in June 2025 called it the "world's largest real‑time payment system."

NPCI and the Indian government have exported UPI to eight countries since 2021, including Bhutan, Singapore, France, Sri Lanka and the UAE, and are helping nations such as Peru and Namibia develop similar rails.

The report noted UPI's rapid domestic adoption was driven by its shared‑platform design as well as banks and fintech companies developing their payment apps with UPI as a common standard.

UPI accounted for 58 per cent of in-store payments in India in 2024 and set to rise to 76 per cent in 2030, when cash transactions could fall from 15 per cent to 7 per cent, according to US payments company Worldpay.

NTT Data, likely to promote UPI to Japanese merchants, already offers payment terminals for businesses in India and Southeast Asia with around 6 million Indian stores, including e-commerce businesses, using its services.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Great for tourists, but I hope the focus on international expansion doesn't slow down solving domestic issues. Rural connectivity and merchant education in smaller towns still need work. Let's strengthen the foundation while building new floors.
R
Rohit P
Japan is a huge market! 3.15 lakh Indian tourists is no small number. This will save us from forex card hassles and dynamic currency conversion charges. Next step: convince Europe and the US to adopt UPI standards.
S
Sarah B
As someone who travels frequently between India and Japan for work, this is a game-changer. The current process of exchanging yen or using international cards is cumbersome. A single QR code system would be incredibly convenient.
V
Vikram M
UPI's success story is truly inspiring. From a government-led initiative to the world's largest real-time payment system in less than a decade. This is digital diplomacy at its best. Jai Hind!
K
Karthik V
The partnership with NTT Data is smart. They already have a footprint with 6 million Indian stores. This isn't just about tourists; it's about exporting our fintech ecosystem. Hope the data privacy and security standards are rock-solid for international operations.

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