[Yen Investment Boom]② Financial Sector Also Actively Marketing Japan and Yen Currency

With the weakening of the yen, interest in tourism and investment in Japan is growing, leading to active yen and Japan-related marketing in the financial sector. Banks and mobile payment companies are running events offering preferential exchange rates to capture currency exchange demand, while the financial investment industry is rushing to attract customers with the emergence of 'Ilhak Gaemi' (individual investors in Japanese stocks).

On the 28th, marking the official start of the summer vacation season, international travelers visiting Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 are lining up to complete their check-in procedures. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

According to the financial sector on the 7th, Kakao Pay is currently conducting a large-scale promotion for users in Japan. Earlier, in April, Kakao Pay entered the local payment market by partnering with PayPay, Japan's largest QR payment operator.

First, at 'Bosuijo,' a complex entertainment facility in Fukuoka, one of the popular tourist destinations for Koreans, customers paying with Kakao Pay can receive a 50% discount up to twice per person until the end of the year. Additionally, users who spend over 1,000 yen at the local convenience store 'Lawson' will receive a 100 yen discount per person (up to twice) until the end of the year.

BNK Busan Bank is also running a currency exchange event in partnership with the Japanese variety store chain 'Don Quijote' until the end of this month. Customers who purchase over 10,000 yen at Don Quijote will receive a coupon offering an additional 5% discount on top of the existing 10% tax-free discount, available through mobile and internet banking.

Furthermore, until the end of this month, Busan Bank’s Gimhae Airport branch and International Passenger Terminal office will provide exchange coupons to the first 1,000 customers who exchange 30,000 yen or more. These coupons can be redeemed for a hair nourishing cream when purchasing products over 10,000 yen at Don Quijote’s Fukuoka Tenjin main store.

Financial companies are engaging in yen marketing due to the recent surge in travel demand. According to Hana Card, which operates the 'Travelog' service that surpassed 2 million subscribers within a year of its launch, the top three cities visited most frequently by users from May to July were Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka, all Japanese cities. The cities with the highest payment amounts were also Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka in that order.

The investment industry is also accelerating yen marketing. Shinhan Investment Corp. has been running a 'Zero Online Purchase Fee for Japanese Stocks' event since the 5th. Shinhan Securities users can trade Japanese stocks online without purchase fees and receive a 95% preferential exchange fee discount.

Yuanta Securities recently launched a Japanese stock trading service and is holding events offering free fees to investors until the end of the year. Investors trading Japanese stocks during the event period will benefit from zero transaction fees, and those who apply for the event will receive a preferential exchange rate of 1 won per 100 yen when exchanging yen. Particularly, investors who trade over 1 million yen in Japanese stocks will receive a 10,000 won stock coupon, and those who apply for real-time quotes can use the Japanese stock real-time quote service free of charge until the end of August 2025.