The four seasons of Hokkaido showcase elegant charms such as spring cherry blossoms, summer flowers, autumn foliage, and winter snow, especially its culinary delights, natural scenery, and open-air hot springs. The unique allure of this northern land makes Hokkaido one of the top choices for Taiwanese travelers visiting Japan. To make overseas travel more convenient for the public, from now until the end of April, Taiwanese financial cards can be used for both cash withdrawals and shopping all over Hokkaido, Japan, with additional benefits including cashback on purchases and store discounts.
According to statistics, in 2008, Taiwanese tourists accounted for nearly one-third of the total number of foreign visitors to Hokkaido. In terms of financial services, the Taiwan Bankers Association and the Financial Information Service Company, in collaboration with nine domestic banks, have obtained approval from Hokkaido Bank in Japan to establish a cross-border cash withdrawal and payment mechanism. Starting today, Taiwanese can use their Taiwanese financial cards (ATM cards) to withdraw cash from marked ATMs in Hokkaido, Japan, and make purchases at participating stores with marked signage. This service helps travelers save on currency exchange fees and the hassle of carrying cash, while also offering more favorable transaction fees.
The year 2010 marks the Taiwan-Japan Tourism Exchange Year, making the launch of Taiwanese financial card cash withdrawal and shopping services in Hokkaido even more significant. This cross-border financial cooperation between Taiwan and Japan involves nine leading banks: Bank of Taiwan, Land Bank of Taiwan, Taiwan Cooperative Bank, First Bank, Hua Nan Commercial Bank, Chang Hwa Bank, Mega International Commercial Bank, Taiwan Business Bank, and E.SUN Commercial Bank. In the future, the bankers association will continue to promote the use of Taiwanese financial cards across various regions in Japan to make travel more convenient for Taiwanese visitors.
Starting today, there are six ATMs in Hokkaido that support cash withdrawals using Taiwanese financial cards. At popular tourist spots among Taiwanese visitors to Hokkaido—including Sapporo, Otaru, Noboribetsu, Hakodate, Toyako, Akan, and Asahikawa—as well as department stores like Mitsukoshi Sapporo and Sapporo Marui Imahi, and hotels such as Hotel Sapporo, Hotel Jozankei, and Hotel Noboribetsu, POS machines have been installed. Taiwanese travelers only need to carry one Taiwanese financial card to explore all of Hokkaido and meet their cash withdrawal and shopping needs.
When using a Taiwanese financial card to withdraw cash or make purchases in Hokkaido, Japan, cardholders do not need to pay any fees. For cash withdrawals, a fee of 390 Japanese yen applies for amounts up to 30,000 Japanese yen; for withdrawals exceeding 30,000 Japanese yen, the fee is 150 Japanese yen plus 0.8% of the withdrawn amount. To celebrate the launch of the cross-border cash withdrawal and shopping service, the nine issuing banks have introduced special promotions: from now until April 30, cardholders can enjoy a 2% cashback on purchases, with a maximum of 5,000 New Taiwan Dollars per card per month during the campaign period. Participating stores in Hokkaido are also offering discounts and giveaways for card payments.
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Further Reading: The Colorful Snow Festival is in Full Swing (Provided by Tripass Attractions)
