If you shop on Amazon in Japan, the Amazon Prime Mastercard is a card worth having. The most recent campaign offered up to 12,000 points in total (8,000 sign-up + 4,000 first use, both limited-time points). There’s no enrollment or annual fee, ever. Prime members get 2% back at Amazon, and up to 7% at convenience stores. This campaign has now ended: applications closed on July 13 (Mon) at 23:59 and the first-use deadline was July 31 (Fri) at 23:59. It was a Prime-members-only campaign — check the official application page for the next one.
Below: how many points you get, the reward rates, how it compares to the Rakuten / PayPay cards, how to apply, tips to stack more points, and an FAQ.
Why now is the best time to apply
This card almost always has some sign-up bonus, and during the Prime Day sign-up campaign (now finished) you could collect the sign-up and first-use bonuses together. With no annual fee, applying just for the points costs you nothing even if you barely use it. The card can be issued in as little as 5 minutes, so you can have it ready for the Prime Day sale (Jul 7–13) and stack sale price × card cashback × point-up all at once — one of the best windows of the year.
How many points do you actually get? (Key: what your application page shows is what you get)
- Sign-up: up to 8,000 points — new applications were accepted June 16 (Tue) 14:00 to July 13 (Mon) 23:59. Ended. The amount depended on your account, so 8,000 was the cap rather than a fixed figure
- First use: +4,000 points — first purchases counted June 16 (Tue) 14:00 to July 31 (Fri) 23:59. Ended. Watch the official page for the next campaign
- Total: up to 12,000 points (all limited-time points)
- Plus a lottery: enter and spend ¥10,000+ (incl. tax) to be entered to win up to 100,000 Amazon points (until Aug 16, 23:59 — provided by Sumitomo Mitsui Card)
Reward rates & card features
| Where you spend | Reward rate |
|---|---|
| Amazon.co.jp (Prime members) | 2.0% (1.5% for non-members / up to 3% during sales) |
| Major convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) | up to 7% (7-Eleven via smartphone Mastercard contactless; 1.5% otherwise) |
| Everywhere else | 1.0% |
| Enrollment / annual fee | Free, forever |
Other perks: issuance in as little as 5 minutes (your card number is added to your Amazon account so you can shop right away), overseas travel accident insurance up to ¥20 million (only when you pay for the trip with the card), up to ¥2 million/year of purchase protection, interest-free payment in two installments (and three on Amazon), plus Apple Pay / Google Pay “iD” and Mastercard® contactless. It’s issued by Sumitomo Mitsui Card, so security and support are solid.
Rakuten Card vs. PayPay Card — which should you pick?
Choosing a card really means choosing an ecosystem. Each of the three has its home turf.
| Card | Best for |
|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Mastercard | People who use Amazon a lot — 2% with no conditions, no annual fee |
| Rakuten Card | People in the Rakuten ecosystem / Rakuten Ichiba |
| PayPay Card | People in the PayPay ecosystem |
For spending inside Rakuten Ichiba, the Rakuten Card returns more — but “a steady 2% at Amazon with no conditions to meet” is unique to the Amazon Prime Mastercard. Amazon doesn’t offer a QR-code payment of its own, so if Amazon is your main store, this one card is the simplest choice.
How to apply (instant issuance — usable the same day)
To use it on Amazon the same day, meet the “instant issuance” conditions and have your materials ready:
- Apply between 9:00–19:00 (outside these hours it’s issued the next business day)
- Complete the direct-debit bank setup online during the application
- Be 20 or older (instant-screening requirement)
- Have ready: a bank account (online-banking ID/password) and a phone for verification
The flow:
- Go to the Amazon application page via the button below and enter your details
- Set up the direct-debit account and submit
- Instant screening (about 5–30 minutes)
- Phone verification — follow the email instructions
- After verification, your card number is added to your Amazon account and you can shop immediately
- The physical card arrives by mail in about a week
Not a Prime member yet? Start the Amazon Prime 30-day free trial first, then apply — that makes you eligible for the 12,000-point campaign. (You count as a Prime member during the free trial, so you get the 2% and the campaign; after the trial ends or you cancel, Amazon cashback drops to 1.5%.)
Tips to earn even more points (Amazon × d POINT)
Since April 2024, Amazon has been linked with d POINT. Once you connect your Amazon and d accounts, you can earn and spend d POINT on Amazon. Pay with the Amazon Prime Mastercard (2% for Prime members) as your base and add d POINT on top for a solid double-dip. Docomo / ahamo users can also use “d払い (d-pay)” for an extra 0.5%.
⚠️ Note: you can’t apply for the Amazon Mastercard through a points/cashback site. To get the sign-up campaign points, apply from Amazon’s official application page.
Things to check before you apply
- Outside Amazon the rate is 1% (an average level)
- You only earn Amazon points (no transfers to other point programs or airline miles)
- Points expire in 1 year (but ordering or earning again before expiry extends all points by another year)
- Instant screening requires being 20 or older, and you can’t apply for an ETC card at the same time
- The sign-up bonus is for first-time cardholders; re-applying if you’ve enrolled before is not eligible
- If you use the interest-free 3-pay, that purchase doesn’t earn usage points
- Sign-up and first-use points are both limited-time points
FAQ
Q. My screen doesn’t show 12,000 points. Why?
A. Sign-up points are adjusted by timing and account — they may be 8,000, or 6,000, etc., so the total can be 10,000 rather than 12,000.
What you actually receive is whatever the application page shows when you apply. Always check your own screen before applying.
Q. Is there an annual fee?
A. Enrollment and annual fees are free forever — simply holding the card costs nothing.
Q. Can I get it without being a Prime member?
A. The card itself can be issued to non-members, but this campaign (Prime-only) and the 2% at Amazon require Prime. If you’re not a member, start the
30-day free trial first.
Q. How fast do I get it / can I use it?
A. If you meet the conditions, it’s issued in as little as 5 minutes; the card number is added to your Amazon account so you can shop immediately. The physical card arrives by mail in about a week (instant issuance accepted 9:00–19:00).
Q. When and where are points credited?
A. Sign-up points are credited by the day after the card is formally issued, to the Amazon account you used to apply; first-use points are credited at the set time. Both are limited-time points.
Not a member? Start the 30-day free trial first.
※ This article uses a card referral program / Amazon Associates links; we may earn a commission when you apply through them (PR). Points and benefits are set by Amazon and may change or end without notice — please check the official application page for the latest amounts.