A ceremony was held in Tokyo on December 18, 2007 by China Unionpay(CUP) and Sumitomo Mitsui Cards Company(SMCC) to mark the official issuance of standard CUP credit card by SMCC. President Xu Luode of CUP, Michiyoshi Kuriyama of SMCC, Minister-Counselor Wu Jianghao of Chinese Embassy in Japan and officials from Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport attended the launching ceremony and made speeches respectively. Also present at the ceremony were leading officials from Tokyo-based branch office or establishment of major Chinese banks including People’s Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Communication Bank as well as well-known figures from Japanese business and tourism circles.

President Xu Luode of CUP expressed at the card-issuance ceremony that CUP, in response to the demand of China’s economic and social development as well as the trend of economic globalization, has seized the opportunity of rapid growth and become not only a China-based bankcard organization but also an international presence serving more and more countries and regions. He also commented that currently CUP boasts of a total of nearly 200 membership banks and institutions both at home and abroad, among which the overseas members account for over 30, all capable of issuing CUP cards. The president also introduced that right now CUP acceptance is available with almost 700000 merchants, 1.1 million POS terminals and 110,000 ATMs in China with an acceptance network reaching all urban and rural areas. Meanwhile, CUP has also launched acceptance business in 26 major countries and regions in Asia-Pacific, Europe and United States as well as Africa. In December of 2005 and April of 2006, CUP realized acceptance with merchants and ATM in Japan respectively. Xu Luode held that the issuance of CUP card by Sumitomo Mitsui Cards Company symbolized a new level of development of CUP’s in Japan. 

CUP will carry forward the innovative and initiative spirit to provide excellent services for cardholders, expressed by Xu Luode.. The service system for China Unionpay card-holders is being constantly improved with an enriched connotation for UnionPay brands. Not only well received among domestic users, UnionPay is also gaining more and more recognition and popularity among foreign friends.

President Michiyoshi Kuriyama of Sumitomo Mitsui Cards Company expressed, “with an extended acceptance network in China, UnionPay guarantees more conveniences than other international cards do. The issuance of standard CUP cards by Sumitomo Mitsui Cards Company will offer more payment conveniences for Japanese who are going to travel or work in China and this is of great significance.” The president also expressed that the corporation will also further strengthen its cooperation with China Unionpay in the field of bill-acceptance and card issuance by merchants, therefore rendering better quality services to card-holders both in China and Japan. 

About Sumitomo Mitsui Cards Company

Established in 1967, Sumitomo Mitsui Cards Company is the first as well as the largest credit card company in Japan. It boasts of an extensive merchant network and nearly 15 million cardholders.