Under Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the Japanese government’s stance toward mainland China has grown increasingly firm, and bilateral relations between Japan and China remain tense. Recently, reports have emerged that some Japanese supermarkets plan to stop supporting Chinese payment systems such as WeChat Pay and Alipay starting Feb. 13, 2026. This development quickly sparked heated discussion online, with some viewing it as a signal of economic decoupling between the two countries.
According to a photo of a supermarket notice circulating online, the announcement clearly states: “The services of Alipay and WeChat Pay will end on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. Thank you for your understanding.” This is not an isolated case. Some netizens shared personal experiences, saying that when shopping in Kobe at the end of January, they noticed that the once-ubiquitous WeChat Pay signs had significantly decreased, and the payment environment had clearly changed.
In fact, similar announcements have appeared in multiple supermarkets. Some analysts believe this move is not only aimed at Chinese tourists but may also involve upgraded anti-money laundering (AML) regulations and measures to prevent illegal cross-border fund flows. For example, using these payment tools to purchase high-priced items in Japan for resale could effectively serve as a gray channel for converting yuan into yen or dollars. The Japanese government has strengthened related regulations in recent years and is gradually closing these loopholes.
Historically, Japan’s retail sector introduced Chinese payment systems mainly to cater to the consumption boom of Chinese tourists. Since the 2010s, as the number of Chinese visitors to Japan surged, major Japanese supermarkets, convenience stores, and drugstores began supporting WeChat Pay and Alipay to accommodate these “explosive shopping” consumers.
As early as 2016, Japan’s well-known department store Takashimaya launched WeChat Pay services in five stores in Yokohama, Kyoto, Osaka, and other cities, allowing customers to complete transactions by scanning a QR code on a tablet terminal. More merchants soon followed, and chain department stores gradually adopted Alipay. Even in September 2025, Japanese domestic payment platforms PayPay and NTT Docomo began supporting WeChat Pay, further expanding coverage.
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However, this trend shifted after Sanae Takaichi was elected prime minister in November 2025. During a parliamentary inquiry, she stated that if mainland China attacked Taiwan by force, Japan might exercise collective self-defense. This statement provoked a strong reaction from Beijing, and diplomatic conflicts quickly spread to trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges, eventually leading to the current adjustment in payment systems.
The change has sparked wide discussion online, with opinions divided. Some support the decoupling; for example, an X (formerly Twitter) user commented: “Is this the start of decoupling? Sounds good, quickly establish relations with the Republic of China.” Others analyzed it from an economic security perspective: “This is not just about fewer tourists; it’s the end of cross-border money laundering. Japan’s stricter AML measures and closure of these payment interfaces are essentially building a financial firewall.” On the other hand, some express concern about the impact on Chinese visitors.
