[syspec]

I was also recently in Japan (about 3 months ago), I never took out my credit card. I paid with my Apple Card (Mastercard) via Apple Pay.

[valianteffort]

I was there around the same time. I don't remember a single convenience store accepting Mastercard. And anywhere outside Tokyo or a major city you were unlikely to even see the logo. Cash only was certainly more rare than it was a decade ago.