JCB, Danamon, Noage launch Japanese medical access for Indonesia's elite

In a strategic shift that blurs the lines between finance, healthcare, and tourism, JCB International has entered a new collaboration with Bank Danamon and Japanese medical services group Noage International to offer Indonesia's affluent consumers access to premium healthcare in Japan.

The partnership reflects JCB's growing interest in embedding itself deeper into the lifestyle ecosystems of its users, moving beyond its core identity as a payments network.

"Through this partnership, we want to position JCB not only as a provider of payment solutions, but also as a connector between countries in offering value-added services, especially in the health and wellness sector," said JCB International Indonesia president director Yo Sato during the signing ceremony, as quoted by Kontan.

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The collaboration targets Indonesia's well-travelled upper segment - a demographic that's increasingly health-conscious and accustomed to premium international experiences. According to Sato, Indonesia was identified as a priority market due to its rising outbound travel to Japan and growing interest in preventive healthcare.

Indonesian tourist visits to Japan surged in early 2025, with 47,000 arrivals in February - up 22.9% from the same month in 2024 - bringing the total for January and February to 110,200, a 38.6% increase year-on-year, according to the Japan National Tourism Organisation. This growth contributed notably to the overall rise in foreign tourist arrivals to Japan.

In a social media post, JCB announced that premium Indonesian cardholders - specifically those with BNI JCB Ultimate and Permata JCB Ultimate credit cards - are eligible for the special programme. Benefits include a free health check-up with the purchase of optional tests (starting from ¥44,000 or US$307 including tax) at Noage International in Tokyo, English-language medical consultation and assistance, and support for travel arrangements related to the check-up in Japan.

"This collaboration is expected to be not just about seeking medical treatment, but also about indulging in high-quality medical services while experiencing the beauty of Japanese culture through the spirit of Omotenashi - Japan's sincere and wholehearted hospitality," the company wrote.

For Bank Danamon, the move is as much about retaining loyalty as it is about offering new services. With a client base comprising affluent and priority customers, the bank is constantly looking for ways to extend its lifestyle portfolio in line with broader aspirations around integrating financial and non-financial solutions.

"We see that cross-industry collaboration like this is key to maintaining customer loyalty and strengthening our position in the priority segment," said Jin Yoshida, global alliance strategy director at Bank Danamon Indonesia.

Noage, for its part, views the alliance as a gateway to Southeast Asia, where interest in advanced medical services from Japan is growing but largely untapped.

"For us, Indonesia is a strategic market that hasn't been optimally developed. This partnership allows us to pilot a more personal and integrated international service model," said Tetsuro Yoshihara, CEO of Noage International.

The partnership is emblematic of a wider trend in Asia: the integration of financial services with sectors such as healthcare and travel to create a holistic customer experience. JCB's strategy includes driving inbound traffic to Japan post-pandemic - not just for leisure, but also for highly targeted medical visits. The knock-on benefits, JCB said, could spill into Japan's hospitality and retail sectors as medical tourism evolves into a more tailored, high-value segment.

All three parties agree that if successful, the model could be replicated in other JCB-heavy markets with high demand for premium healthcare - a potential new frontier for customer engagement and loyalty.

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