There was great interest in last week's Zeit Gist column on credit cards in Japan by Vanessa Mitchell. We'd like to pass on some experiences of card usage in Japan sent in by readers as well as give some information on no-charge cards that there wasn't enough room for last week.
For those looking for no-charge credit cards, a great place to start is the post office. The post office offers a Nicos Visa card that has no annual fee and includes full travel insurance.
One good place to also look for no-charge options is the www.yahoo.co.jp Web site -- though it's in Japanese only.