This agreement governs use of JapanETCcard services. Existing customers may be required to electronically accept the current agreement through their account before continuing to use certain services.
This public copy is provided for review. To accept and electronically sign the agreement, customers must log in and complete OTP verification and electronic signature through the customer agreement page.
Sign in to review and signThis is the master agreement between you (the Contracting Customer) and NoJo Enterprise Co., Ltd., operating as JapanETCcard. It explains who is financially responsible to JapanETCcard, how tolls are advanced and reimbursed, and the separate responsibilities that road operators may place on drivers and vehicle users.
1. Parties and definitions
"JapanETCcard" means NoJo Enterprise Co., Ltd. operating the JapanETCcard service. The "Contracting Customer" is the person who creates and holds this account and who is primarily responsible to JapanETCcard under this Agreement. A "Driver" is any person who operates a vehicle using an ETC card issued to this account. A "Vehicle User" is the person who actually controls and manages a vehicle. A "Vehicle Owner" is the person or entity named on the vehicle inspection certificate (Shaken). An "Authorized Driver" is any spouse, family member, employee, administrator, or other person the Contracting Customer permits to use the vehicle or card. A "Road Operator" means NEXCO East, NEXCO Central, NEXCO West, or any other expressway operator that levies tolls.
2. Independence from road operators
JapanETCcard is an independent private service provider. It is not NEXCO, is not a road operator, is not a government agency, is not a bank or lender, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any road operator. The official rules of the road operators and the ETC system are issued by those organizations, and we direct you to the official sources on our Road Operator Rules page.
3. Who is responsible (liability model)
Responsibility is not assumed from vehicle ownership alone. The Contracting Customer is primarily responsible to JapanETCcard for all amounts arising from ETC cards issued to this account. Separately and independently, a Driver or a Vehicle User may owe duties directly to a Road Operator under the road operator's own rules. A Vehicle Owner does not automatically become the Contracting Customer merely because their name appears on the Shaken. An Authorized Driver may use the card or vehicle but does not replace the Contracting Customer's reimbursement obligation. A person can be assigned personal financial responsibility as a Payment-Responsible Party or Jointly-Responsible Co-Applicant only after that person has independently verified their identity and signed.
4. Security deposit requirements, additional ETC cards, and linked accounts
A refundable security deposit is required to hold and use ETC cards issued under your account. Each ETC card requires its own separate customer account with a unique email address. A Customer requesting a second or additional ETC card must create a separate account for that card and complete the applicable vehicle, identity, payment, and compliance requirements. JapanETCcard may approve the administrative linking of separate accounts when the accounts belong to (a) the same individual, (b) legal spouses, or (c) the same legal business entity for an approved company or fleet arrangement. Friends, unrelated individuals, and separately owned businesses may not combine their accounts or security deposits unless JapanETCcard expressly approves a different written arrangement. Linked accounts remain separate customer accounts. Each linked account retains its own account credentials and email address, ETC card, service or pricing plan, monthly service fees, toll usage and Road Operator records, invoices and billing cycle, payment method and payment history, past-due and delinquency status, and payment-dispute and chargeback history. Linking accounts does not merge their toll usage, invoices, monthly pricing plans, payment obligations, or contractual records. The standard security deposit is ¥40,000 for the primary linked account and its ETC card, plus ¥20,000 for each approved additional linked account and ETC card. The ¥20,000 amount applies only after JapanETCcard confirms that the new account qualifies to be linked to an eligible primary account; until linking is approved, JapanETCcard may require the standard primary-account deposit. The security deposit secures your obligation to reimburse JapanETCcard for tolls advanced on your behalf and for related fees and charges; it is not a prepayment of tolls and is not applied to or deducted from your regular or final charges (see Section 35, Final billing, and Section 36, Security deposit refunds). The deposits held for approved linked accounts form a combined security-deposit arrangement for the linked-account group. By requesting, approving, or accepting account linkage, each applicable Contracting Customer authorizes JapanETCcard to treat the deposits held for the linked accounts as a combined security pool securing valid payment obligations within that linked-account group, subject to this Agreement and applicable law. The combined security-deposit arrangement does not combine the accounts' invoices or make one account's toll usage part of another account's invoice. Each Contracting Customer remains directly responsible for all toll charges, service charges, fees, and other amounts incurred through their own account. If a valid unpaid amount exists within the linked-account group, JapanETCcard may apply available funds from the combined security deposit as permitted by this Agreement before refunding any remaining balance; application of the combined deposit does not cancel any unpaid amount exceeding the available deposit. JapanETCcard generally intends to maintain the standard deposit amounts and will not increase the deposit automatically because an account remains open, because time has passed, or merely because a Customer continues using an ETC card. JapanETCcard may require one or more linked accounts to replenish or increase the deposit only when documented account circumstances indicate that the financial or non-payment risk associated with the account or linked group has materially increased, such as repeated past-due invoices, a change from on-time payment history to repeated late payments, unpaid balances remaining after reminders, repeated failed or reversed payments, chargebacks or payment disputes, prior delinquency, a substantial increase in ETC usage that creates materially greater unpaid billing exposure, an increase in the number of ETC cards or vehicles, or other documented credit or non-payment risk. A single isolated late or declined payment does not automatically require a deposit increase, and JapanETCcard will consider the Customer's overall account and linked-group payment history. If JapanETCcard requests a deposit increase or replenishment, you will be notified of the required amount, the reason, the payment deadline, and the possible consequences of nonpayment, and you agree to pay the additional amount within the time period stated in the request. If you do not provide the requested additional deposit within that period, JapanETCcard may suspend or disable some or all of the ETC cards on the affected account or linked group until the required deposit is received. Suspending or disabling a card for this reason does not relieve you of responsibility for tolls, fees, or other amounts already incurred, and the cancellation, final billing, and refund terms in Sections 34 through 36 continue to apply.
5. ETC card and onboard unit (OBU) use
You agree to use ETC cards and onboard units only in compliance with the applicable Road Operator and ETC system rules. You agree to insert the card correctly, use the correct lanes, follow posted speed and gate procedures, and not use a card that is lost, stolen, expired, invalid, suspended, or otherwise not authorized.
6. ETC onboard-unit registration requirements
JapanETCcard requires that the ETC onboard unit installed in a vehicle be properly registered in accordance with applicable ETC and road-operator requirements. The Contracting Customer is responsible for ensuring that: • the ETC onboard unit is properly registered; • the ETC onboard unit information matches the vehicle in which it is installed; • the ETC onboard unit registration reflects the correct vehicle registration information; • the ETC onboard unit registration reflects the correct license plate information; and • any required ETC re-setup procedures are completed when vehicle information changes. The Contracting Customer acknowledges that Japanese ETC policies require ETC onboard-unit registration information to be updated when vehicle registration information changes, when license plates change, when an onboard unit is transferred to another vehicle, when vehicle specifications affecting registration change, or when other registered information becomes inaccurate. Failure to properly update ETC onboard-unit registration information may result in toll-processing issues, mileage-program issues, suspension of ETC services, loss of discounts, or other restrictions imposed by applicable ETC operators or road administrators.
7. Vehicle registration and customer responsibility
The Contracting Customer is responsible for ensuring that all vehicle information provided to JapanETCcard remains accurate, complete, and current at all times. The Contracting Customer must notify JapanETCcard and provide updated documentation within thirty (30) days of the change or before continued ETC card use, whichever occurs first, whenever: • a vehicle is replaced; • ownership changes; • a vehicle registration number or license plate changes; • a vehicle is sold, transferred, or no longer used; • a vehicle's Shaken registration is renewed; • the ETC onboard unit is replaced; • the ETC onboard unit is moved to another vehicle; • the ETC onboard unit registration information changes; or • any information previously provided to JapanETCcard becomes inaccurate. The Contracting Customer must provide updated vehicle documentation, including the current Shaken certificate and ETC Setup Certificate, whenever requested by JapanETCcard or whenever such documents are renewed, modified, or replaced.
8. Use in other vehicles
The Contracting Customer may use an ETC card in another vehicle, including a rental vehicle or a vehicle owned by another person, provided that such use is permitted by applicable ETC rules and road-operator requirements. However, the Contracting Customer acknowledges that the vehicle being used must itself be legally registered for ETC use where required, and any ETC onboard unit installed in that vehicle should be properly registered to the vehicle in which it is installed and reflect the correct vehicle registration information. The existence of an ETC onboard unit inside a vehicle does not, by itself, mean that the onboard unit is properly registered or compliant with applicable ETC registration requirements. The Contracting Customer remains responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable ETC registration requirements before using an ETC card in any vehicle. The Contracting Customer acknowledges that use of an ETC card in a vehicle whose ETC onboard unit is improperly registered, not re-setup after a vehicle or license-plate change, or otherwise non-compliant with applicable ETC registration requirements may result in loss of discounts, toll-processing errors, mileage-program restrictions, administrative penalties or other administrative actions imposed by ETC program operators or road administrators, or suspension of ETC-related benefits.
9. Shaken renewal requirements
When a personally owned vehicle's Shaken registration is renewed, the Contracting Customer must provide updated vehicle documentation to JapanETCcard when requested or when required for continued account verification. Failure to provide updated vehicle documentation may result in account restrictions, suspension of benefits, or delays in account processing until verification requirements are satisfied.
10. Non-Transferability, Custody, and Exclusive Use of the ETC Card
The ETC Card provided through JapanETCcard is issued exclusively for the Customer to whom the Card and account were approved. For a business or organizational account, the Card may be possessed and used only by the individual card user specifically identified and approved by JapanETCcard for that Card. The Card may be used only in connection with registered vehicles and ETC onboard equipment that have been reviewed and approved under the Customer's account. The Customer must maintain possession, custody, and control of the ETC Card at all times. The Customer must not sell, assign, transfer, lend, give, rent, sublicense, entrust, or otherwise provide the Card, the account, or any right to use the Card to another person. This prohibition includes transfers to a spouse, family member, friend, coworker, employee, vehicle purchaser, replacement employee, business successor, or any other third party. Leaving Japan, selling or transferring a vehicle, ending employment, closing or transferring a business, separating from a spouse, or cancelling JapanETCcard service does not authorize the Customer to give the ETC Card or account to another person. No person may take over, inherit, continue, or assume the Customer's Card, account approval, vehicle verification, or right to use JapanETCcard services. When cancelling service, the Customer must immediately stop using the ETC Card and must return, surrender, or securely destroy the Card according to JapanETCcard's instructions. The Customer remains responsible for toll charges, fees, unauthorized use, and other obligations associated with the Card until JapanETCcard confirms that the Card has been returned, destroyed, disabled, or otherwise made unusable. The Customer's security deposit, account approval, verification status, and right to use the ETC Card are personal to that Customer and are not transferable. A security deposit may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, or shared with an unrelated person or unapproved account. This restriction does not prevent JapanETCcard from treating deposits as a combined security arrangement when separate accounts have been formally approved and linked under Section 4 (Security deposit requirements, additional ETC cards, and linked accounts). Administrative linkage does not transfer ownership of an account, merge customer identities, or permit an ETC Card to be transferred between customers. After cancellation, the Customer's security deposit will be processed for refund according to the Security Deposit and Cancellation provisions of this Agreement, including completion of final billing, payment of outstanding obligations, and satisfaction of all Card-return or destruction requirements. Any person who wishes to become a JapanETCcard customer must submit a completely separate application in their own name. The new applicant must independently satisfy all eligibility and identity requirements, accept the current Customer Agreement, provide their own security deposit, submit their own vehicle documentation, including the required long white Shaken form and ETC Setup documentation, and complete all required vehicle and ETC equipment verification. The new applicant may use JapanETCcard services only after JapanETCcard has approved the application and issued or assigned a separate ETC Card. JapanETCcard may immediately suspend or terminate service, disable or recover the Card, and take other action permitted under this Agreement if the Customer attempts to transfer the Card or allows another person to assume or continue using the Card or account.
11. Authorized use by others
You are responsible for tolls and charges generated by anyone you authorize to use your account-issued ETC cards or your registered vehicles, including spouses, family members, employees, administrators, and drivers. You agree to keep ETC cards secure, remove cards from unattended vehicles where appropriate, and supervise authorized use.
12. Toll advancement and reimbursement
You authorize JapanETCcard to process, pay, advance, or otherwise become liable to Road Operators for toll transactions generated through your account-issued ETC cards. You agree to reimburse JapanETCcard in full for those tolls and for the applicable service fees set out in the Pricing and Fee Schedule. This reimbursement obligation is owed to JapanETCcard and is separate from any duty a Driver or Vehicle User may owe to a Road Operator.
13. Delayed toll transactions
Some toll transactions are reported by Road Operators days or weeks after travel, including after you cancel the service. You remain responsible for tolls actually incurred before your cards were returned, destroyed, or deactivated, even if those tolls are billed to JapanETCcard after cancellation. You remain responsible for these tolls even if they are reported, billed, or received after cancellation or after your security deposit has been refunded, as described in Section 36.
14. ETC Mileage Service and discount programs
JapanETCcard may assist eligible customers in registering for ETC Mileage Service programs, commuter-discount programs, or other ETC-related discount programs where available. Participation in such programs is subject to the rules and eligibility requirements of the applicable program administrators. Many ETC onboard units remain associated with previously issued ETC cards or prior ETC Mileage Service registrations. Until those prior associations are removed, JapanETCcard may be unable to register the onboard unit to a new ETC card or mileage account. The Contracting Customer acknowledges that registration may not be possible if the ETC onboard unit is already associated with another ETC card, ETC account, mileage account, or prior registration. If an ETC onboard unit is already registered to another ETC card or mileage account, the Contracting Customer may be required to contact the applicable ETC Mileage Service administrator or other responsible organization to remove the prior registration before a new registration can be completed. JapanETCcard may assist with the removal process when the prior registration is associated with a JapanETCcard-managed account. However, JapanETCcard cannot guarantee removal of registrations associated with third-party ETC cards, third-party ETC accounts, or independently managed ETC registrations. Where a prior registration is associated with another provider or independently managed ETC account, responsibility for removing or correcting the registration remains with the Contracting Customer. Until the prior registration issue is resolved, JapanETCcard may be unable to: • issue a new ETC card; • complete mileage-program registration; • activate certain discount programs; or • provide ETC Mileage Service benefits associated with the affected ETC onboard unit. JapanETCcard shall not be responsible for delays, restrictions, or loss of mileage benefits caused by pre-existing ETC registrations, inaccurate vehicle information, incomplete ETC re-setup procedures, or the Contracting Customer's failure to complete required corrective actions.
15. Highway Safety, ETC Lane Conduct, Equipment Compliance, and Customer Responsibility
1. Responsibility for Safe and Lawful Driving. The Customer is solely responsible for operating each vehicle safely, lawfully, and in accordance with all applicable Japanese traffic laws, toll-road rules, ETC System Terms of Use, road-operator instructions, posted signs, lane signals, and safety instructions. The Customer is responsible for the conduct of every person whom the Customer permits to operate a vehicle in which the ETC Card is used, subject to the restrictions on Card use and transfer contained in this Agreement. The Customer must review and comply with the ETC and highway-safety information made available through the JapanETCcard Learning Center, together with the current instructions published by Japanese toll-road operators and ETC authorities. Educational information provided by JapanETCcard supplements, but does not replace, applicable law, official road signs, instructions from toll-road personnel, or official ETC operating rules. 2. Safe Use of ETC Lanes. When approaching and passing through an ETC lane, the Customer must: • confirm before entering the lane that the ETC Card is valid, has not expired, is inserted correctly, and has been properly recognized by the onboard unit; • reduce speed to 20 kilometers per hour or below before entering the ETC lane; • proceed slowly through the lane at a speed that permits the vehicle to stop safely; • maintain sufficient distance from the vehicle ahead; • confirm that the lane barrier has opened before proceeding; • follow all traffic signals, signs, lane markings, warning devices, and instructions issued by toll-road personnel; and • exercise additional caution at Smart Interchanges and at any location requiring a complete stop. The ETC lane barrier may fail to open because of an unreadable Card, an expired Card, improper insertion, equipment failure, communication failure, incorrect setup information, the conduct of another driver, or other circumstances. The Customer must therefore never assume that the barrier will open automatically. 3. No Reversing or Unsafe Maneuvers. The Customer must never reverse, make a U-turn, change direction improperly, or perform another unsafe maneuver in an ETC lane, toll plaza, interchange, or controlled-access highway area. If an ETC barrier does not open, the Customer must stop safely, activate the vehicle's hazard warning lights when appropriate, remain alert to approaching vehicles, and use the intercom, call button, or other available method to contact toll-road personnel. The Customer must follow the instructions of toll-road personnel and must not reverse out of the lane. If the Customer passes an intended exit, enters an incorrect lane, or makes another navigational error, the Customer must continue safely and seek assistance at the next available staffed location or through the applicable road operator. The Customer must not reverse or turn around on the highway. 4. Customer Responsibility for Damage and Loss. The Customer is responsible for any accident, collision, personal injury, property damage, damage to an ETC barrier or toll-road equipment, roadway damage, traffic disruption, charge, assessment, or other loss caused by or resulting from: • the Customer's unsafe, negligent, reckless, unlawful, or unauthorized conduct; • failure to comply with ETC lane procedures or applicable speed requirements; • reversing, making an unauthorized U-turn, improperly changing direction, or failing to follow toll-road personnel's instructions; • use of an improperly installed, improperly configured, unregistered, or incorrectly set-up ETC onboard unit; • use of an ETC onboard unit in a vehicle for which that unit has not been properly set up; • use of the ETC Card contrary to this Agreement, the ETC System Terms of Use, or applicable law; • permitting an unauthorized person to possess or use the ETC Card; or • failure to maintain, inspect, update, or correctly operate the vehicle, ETC Card, or onboard unit. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Customer must reimburse JapanETCcard for reasonable and documented charges, losses, costs, or third-party claims imposed on or incurred by JapanETCcard that directly result from the Customer's conduct described above. 5. Required ETC Onboard Unit. The Customer may use the ETC Card only with a permanently and properly installed ETC or ETC2.0 onboard unit that: • is approved and suitable for the applicable vehicle type; • has been installed according to the onboard-unit manufacturer's instructions; • has been set up by an authorized ETC setup shop; • contains the correct vehicle information for the specific vehicle in which it is installed; • has a valid and verifiable onboard-unit management number; and • is maintained in safe and functional condition. The Customer must not use a portable ETC unit, a cigarette-lighter socket installation, a temporary plug-in installation, or any installation that does not comply with the manufacturer's prescribed installation method or the ETC System Terms of Use. A cigarette-lighter plug, removable power connection, or similar portable arrangement is an unauthorized and prohibited installation that cannot be used under the ETC System Terms of Use and is not an acceptable substitute for a compliant, permanently installed and properly set-up ETC onboard unit. 6. One Onboard Unit Per Registered Vehicle. An ETC onboard unit that has been set up for one vehicle must not be shared with, temporarily installed in, or transferred for use in another vehicle without completing all required installation and re-setup procedures. The Customer must not remove an onboard unit from one vehicle and begin using it in another vehicle based only on the fact that the unit powers on or recognizes an ETC Card. Successful power-up or Card recognition does not establish that the onboard unit has been properly registered for that vehicle. Each onboard unit must be associated with the correct vehicle information, including the information necessary to determine the applicable vehicle classification and toll treatment. 7. Re-Setup Following Vehicle or Equipment Changes. The Customer must arrange for the onboard unit to be inspected and, when required, re-set up by an authorized ETC setup shop before further ETC use whenever: • the onboard unit is installed in a different vehicle; • the vehicle's number plate or registration number changes; • a used onboard unit is acquired for installation in the Customer's vehicle; • the vehicle's classification, dimensions, axle configuration, towing capability, or other information relevant to ETC toll classification changes; • a towing structure is added or changed; • the onboard unit is replaced with another unit; • the installation is materially modified; or • JapanETCcard, a road operator, an authorized setup shop, or an applicable authority determines that re-setup is required. The Customer must not personally perform or attempt to perform the secure ETC setup or re-setup process. Setup and re-setup must be completed through an authorized ETC setup shop. Examples may include participating automotive-accessory stores (such as Autobacs or Yellow Hat), vehicle dealerships, and other businesses officially authorized to perform ETC setup services. 8. Vehicle Documentation and Account Verification. The Customer must provide JapanETCcard with current, complete, and accurate vehicle documents for every vehicle registered under the Customer's account. Required documents may include: • the current complete automobile inspection certificate information, including the applicable long-form Shaken record or automobile inspection certificate record; • the current ETC setup certificate or setup application record; • the onboard-unit management number; • the vehicle's current number plate information; and • documentation establishing that the Customer is the registered owner, registered user, or otherwise has lawful authority to register and use the vehicle under the account. The Customer must notify JapanETCcard promptly if the vehicle, number plate, registered owner or user, authorization to use the vehicle, onboard unit, setup information, or any submitted vehicle document changes. JapanETCcard may require updated documents, suspend the vehicle from ETC Card use, place the account under review, or prohibit further use until the vehicle and onboard-unit information has been verified. 9. Unauthorized, Illegal, or Noncompliant Use. JapanETCcard does not authorize and bears no responsibility for the Customer's: • illegal or fraudulent use of the ETC Card or ETC network; • unsafe operation of a vehicle; • violation of traffic laws or toll-road rules; • use of an unauthorized, portable, improperly installed, or incorrectly set-up onboard unit; • use of an onboard unit in a vehicle different from the vehicle for which it was set up; • failure to follow official ETC procedures, road signs, safety requirements, or toll-road personnel's instructions; or • use of the Card or service contrary to this Agreement. JapanETCcard is not the operator of Japan's toll roads, the manufacturer or installer of the Customer's vehicle or onboard unit, or the authority responsible for traffic enforcement, vehicle registration, onboard-unit certification, or ETC lane operation. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, JapanETCcard is not liable for loss, injury, damage, delay, lane-barrier failure, incorrect toll classification, enforcement action, or other consequences caused by the Customer's illegal, unsafe, unauthorized, or noncompliant conduct or by equipment that JapanETCcard did not manufacture, install, configure, or control. Nothing in this Agreement excludes or limits any liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited, including liability arising from JapanETCcard's intentional misconduct or gross negligence. 10. Suspension and Corrective Action. JapanETCcard may immediately suspend ETC Card use, reject or remove a vehicle, require new documentation, require professional inspection or re-setup, recover or disable the Card, or terminate service when JapanETCcard reasonably determines that: • the onboard unit is portable, improperly installed, incorrectly set up, or associated with another vehicle; • the vehicle or onboard-unit information is inaccurate, outdated, unverifiable, or inconsistent; • the Customer has engaged in unsafe, unlawful, fraudulent, or prohibited ETC use; • the Customer has caused damage or created a material safety risk; • the Customer has failed to comply with official instructions; or • continued use could expose the Customer, JapanETCcard, a road operator, or another person to safety, financial, operational, or legal risk.
16. Lost, stolen, invalid, suspended, or misused cards
Report lost or stolen cards to JapanETCcard immediately. You remain responsible for authorized use until a card is effectively suspended. Misuse of a card — including use of an invalid or suspended card, or use that violates Road Operator rules — may result in surcharges assessed by the Road Operator and in suspension of service.
17. Toll questions, corrections, and surcharges
If you believe that a toll charge, travel record, vehicle classification, entry or exit point, discount, or other Road Operator information may be incorrect, you must promptly contact JapanETCcard staff or the Billing Department before contacting your payment provider. JapanETCcard will provide the available detailed toll-usage report and will review the applicable Road Operator records with you. When appropriate, JapanETCcard will assist in good faith with requesting a correction through the Road Operator's established procedures. JapanETCcard does not independently determine the toll amount, route, entry or exit point, vehicle classification, discount, or surcharge reported by the Road Operator. Corrections remain subject to the Road Operator's records, rules, review procedures, and final determination. Road Operators may assess additional charges or surcharges, including charges related to unauthorized passage, incorrect ETC lane use, vehicle-classification issues, or other violations of the operator's rules. Any such Road Operator-assessed amount is the responsibility of the applicable Driver, Vehicle User, or Contracting Customer under the Road Operator's rules and this Agreement. A question or correction request submitted to JapanETCcard does not automatically suspend the Customer's payment obligation. JapanETCcard may place the questioned amount on temporary review when appropriate, but all undisputed amounts remain payable by their stated due dates.
18. Delinquency and remedies
Unless a different payment deadline is stated on the invoice, the Contracting Customer has seven calendar days from the invoice date to pay the invoice in full. If any amount remains unpaid after the seven-day payment period, including a balance remaining after a partial payment, the account becomes delinquent and past due. Once an account becomes delinquent, JapanETCcard may: a. apply the Past-Due Account Administration and Reminder Fee described in the applicable section of this Agreement and on the Pricing page; b. suspend or deactivate ETC Cards associated with the account; c. restrict account services; d. stop the issuance, replacement, or shipment of additional ETC Cards; e. require the return or verified destruction of ETC Cards; and f. pursue other lawful collection and account-protection remedies. A billing question or request for review does not automatically extend the payment deadline or prevent the account from becoming delinquent unless JapanETCcard confirms a temporary payment hold in writing. A single declined or failed payment attempt does not, by itself, make the account delinquent if the invoice is paid in full within the seven-day payment period. As described in the Security Deposit section, the security deposit is not a prepayment of future tolls and is not automatically applied to regular invoices. If an account becomes delinquent, JapanETCcard may offset valid past-due amounts against a held security deposit before refunding any remaining balance. The Contracting Customer remains responsible for any amount exceeding the available security deposit.
19. Express authorization to notify an associated organization
Following account delinquency and the notice procedure in Section 22, the Contracting Customer expressly authorizes JapanETCcard to contact and provide limited account information to an appropriate organization officially associated with the Contracting Customer. An appropriate associated organization may include: the Contracting Customer's identified military command or installation administrative office; United States Forces Japan or an appropriate subordinate command office; an embassy or consular administrative office associated with the Contracting Customer; the Contracting Customer's official sponsor, employer, government organization, contracting organization, or organizational account administrator; a road operator involved in the relevant toll transactions; legal counsel, an authorized collection provider, a court, a law-enforcement body, or other competent authority; or another organization the Contracting Customer has identified as having official responsibility for their assignment, sponsorship, account, or vehicle use. JapanETCcard will contact only an organization whose identity and relationship to the Contracting Customer can reasonably be verified. JapanETCcard will make such a disclosure only where one or more of the following applies: verified account delinquency; completion of the notice procedure in Section 22; the Contracting Customer's failure to cure the nonpayment within the stated cure period; the need to recover an issued ETC card; suspected fraud; suspected unauthorized card use; compliance with applicable law; or a court order or other legal process. Delinquency alone, without completion of the applicable notice and cure process, does not authorize disclosure except in cases of suspected fraud, suspected unauthorized use, legal compulsion, or court process.
20. Purpose of an organizational disclosure
An organizational notification is limited to: notifying the organization that the account is delinquent; requesting assistance in contacting the Contracting Customer; seeking return or verified destruction of an issued ETC card; preventing continued toll activity or misuse; confirming assignment, sponsorship, or organizational-account information; collecting tolls, fees, and other amounts properly due; investigating suspected fraud, false information, unauthorized card use, toll evasion, or other misuse; establishing, exercising, or defending a legal claim; or complying with applicable law. Notifying an organization does not make that organization legally responsible for the debt unless it has separately agreed to be responsible.
21. Information that may be disclosed
JapanETCcard may disclose only information reasonably necessary for the applicable purpose, which may include the Contracting Customer's name; customer and account reference; verified contact information; identified command, embassy, sponsor, employer, or organization; vehicle registration number, license plate, vehicle description, and the associated ETC card reference; the vehicle-registration verification status, Shaken verification status, and ETC onboard-unit verification status; the last digits of the ETC card number; invoice dates, unpaid amount, due date, delinquency duration, and payment status; the dates and methods of prior payment notices; account or card suspension status; and card return or destruction status. JapanETCcard will not ordinarily disclose full payment-card numbers, passwords, OTP codes, complete identity documents, complete vehicle-document images, unrelated toll history, medical information, or other unrelated personal information.
22. Notice before an organizational disclosure
Except in cases involving suspected fraud, theft, unauthorized use, toll evasion, legal compulsion, or an urgent need to prevent further loss, JapanETCcard will ordinarily (1) issue the invoice and payment due date; (2) send at least one overdue-payment notice; (3) provide a final notice stating that organizational notification may occur if payment or an approved arrangement is not received by the stated deadline; and (4) allow a reasonable opportunity to pay, establish a payment arrangement, or submit a good-faith dispute. JapanETCcard may postpone organizational notification while a timely, documented, good-faith billing dispute is being reviewed.
23. Records of disclosure
JapanETCcard will maintain an audit record of an organizational disclosure, including the date and time; the recipient organization; the verified recipient or office; the purpose; the categories of information disclosed; the delinquency and notice basis; the staff member or system action authorizing the disclosure; and any response received.
24. Foreign recipients and overseas processing
Where personal data will be provided to or accessed by a recipient outside Japan, JapanETCcard will provide any additional information and obtain any additional consent required by applicable personal-information law before making the disclosure, unless a lawful exception applies.
25. Scope and limits of this authorization
By selecting the agreement consent and electronically signing this Agreement, the Contracting Customer gives prior consent for the limited disclosures described in Sections 18–24. This authorization does not permit public disclosure, social-media publication, disclosure to unrelated persons, or disclosure for harassment, embarrassment, or any purpose unrelated to account administration, collection, card recovery, fraud prevention, toll processing, or legal compliance.
26. ETC billing timing and payment authorization
ETC toll charges are billed in arrears. Charges may appear on an invoice one or more billing cycles after the date of travel. Depending on when the applicable road operator transmits, corrects, or finalizes its records, charges may appear approximately two months or more after the ETC Card was used. The Customer acknowledges that delayed billing does not, by itself, mean that a transaction is incorrect, duplicate, fraudulent, or unauthorized. The Customer authorizes JapanETCcard, directly or through Stripe or another payment processor, to charge the payment method maintained on the Customer's account for: a. ETC toll and road-use charges; b. disclosed service and administrative fees; c. security deposits and authorized security-deposit adjustments; d. replacement, delivery, and processing fees; e. unpaid account balances; f. amounts restored to the account following a payment reversal or chargeback; and g. all other amounts properly due under this Agreement. JapanETCcard transactions may appear on the cardholder's statement under the statement descriptor disclosed during registration, payment authorization, or account setup. The Customer is responsible for ensuring that the cardholder recognizes the JapanETCcard statement descriptor and understands the recurring and delayed nature of ETC billing.
27. Past-Due Account Administration and Reminder Fee
If an invoice is not paid in full by its stated due date, the Customer's account will enter past-due account management. While an amount remains unpaid, JapanETCcard may conduct a new account-management and payment-reminder cycle at intervals of seven days. Each seven-day cycle may include: a. reviewing the unpaid invoice and account balance; b. confirming payment and payment-processing records; c. issuing and recording a new payment reminder; d. updating the Customer's billing, collection, and communication history; e. monitoring the Customer's ETC Card and account status; f. reviewing failed, rejected, reversed, or disputed payments; g. preserving billing, payment, and collection records; h. determining whether the ETC Card or account should be restricted, suspended, or terminated; and i. determining whether additional collection activity is required. JapanETCcard may assess a ¥1,500 Past-Due Account Administration and Reminder Fee for each separate seven-day cycle in which: 1. an amount remains unpaid after its due date; 2. JapanETCcard issues a new payment reminder; 3. JapanETCcard performs and records additional account-management activity; and 4. the fee was disclosed to the Customer before the applicable amount became due. The fee may be assessed no more than once during the same seven-day cycle. Payment of all past-due amounts before the next seven-day cycle begins will prevent the next Past-Due Account Administration and Reminder Fee from being assessed. JapanETCcard may waive or remove the fee when: a. the nonpayment resulted solely from a confirmed JapanETCcard billing error; b. the nonpayment resulted solely from a confirmed payment-processing error not caused by the Customer; c. the Customer entered into a written payment arrangement with JapanETCcard before the applicable fee was assessed and complied with that arrangement; or d. JapanETCcard determines, based on documented circumstances, that a waiver is appropriate. This fee compensates JapanETCcard for a separate account-management and reminder cycle. It is not calculated as interest on the unpaid balance. The original invoice, valid toll charges, previously assessed administration fees, payment-dispute costs, and all other amounts properly due under this Agreement remain payable until paid in full. There is no minimum balance required for the Past-Due Account Administration and Reminder Fee. The fee may apply to any invoice with an unpaid balance greater than ¥0, including a partially paid invoice. The first qualifying cycle begins when an invoice remains unpaid for seven days after its stated due date. A subsequent qualifying cycle may occur after each additional seven-day period during which an unpaid balance remains and JapanETCcard issues a new reminder and performs documented account-management activity.
28. Billing questions and required direct review
A Customer who does not recognize, understand, or agree with an invoice or payment must promptly contact JapanETCcard Billing Support before filing a payment dispute or chargeback with a credit-card issuer. The Customer must provide sufficient information to identify and investigate the charge, including the invoice or transaction number, amount, date, specific charge being questioned, and reason the Customer believes the charge may be incorrect. JapanETCcard must be given a reasonable opportunity to review the applicable road-operator records, invoice, payment authorization, account history, and supporting information. JapanETCcard will ordinarily attempt to investigate and respond within ten business days after receiving the information reasonably required to review the matter. The requirement to contact JapanETCcard first does not apply when: a. the payment card was actually lost or stolen; b. the payment method was genuinely used without the cardholder's authorization; c. immediate action is reasonably necessary to prevent further fraudulent use; d. the card issuer requires a response before JapanETCcard can reasonably complete its review; or e. applicable law provides an immediate right to contact the card issuer. Even in these circumstances, the Customer must notify JapanETCcard as soon as reasonably possible that a JapanETCcard transaction was included in the report or dispute.
29. Serious nature and proper use of payment disputes
The Customer acknowledges that filing a payment dispute or chargeback is a serious contractual action with immediate consequences for the Customer's ETC service. A chargeback is not a substitute for contacting JapanETCcard Billing Support, requesting an invoice explanation, questioning a road-operator record, requesting a correction, or making payment arrangements. The Customer must not knowingly characterize an authorized JapanETCcard transaction as fraudulent, unauthorized, duplicate, or unrecognized merely because: a. the Customer does not wish to pay the invoice; b. the Customer is dissatisfied with the amount of valid ETC usage; c. the Customer does not remember a journey documented by the applicable road operator; d. the Customer did not review an invoice or payment notice; e. the Customer permitted another person to use the vehicle or ETC Card; f. the charge appeared during a later billing cycle; g. the Customer is disputing unrelated fraudulent transactions appearing on the same payment card; or h. the Customer did not first request assistance from JapanETCcard. Knowingly submitting materially false or misleading information in a payment dispute, or knowingly including a recognized JapanETCcard transaction in an unrelated fraud report, constitutes a material breach of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement prevents the Customer from making a good-faith report concerning genuine unauthorized use, duplicate processing, an incorrect amount, a JapanETCcard billing error, a material failure to provide an agreed service, or another legally valid billing concern.
30. ETC Card suspension following a payment dispute
When JapanETCcard receives notice that a Customer or cardholder has disputed, reversed, or charged back a JapanETCcard payment, JapanETCcard may immediately suspend or disable: a. the ETC Card associated with the disputed account; b. any additional ETC Card assigned to the same Customer account; c. access to additional paid services; and d. the issuance, replacement, or shipment of additional ETC Cards. JapanETCcard may take this action without advance notice when reasonably necessary to prevent additional financial exposure, prevent additional unpaid toll usage, protect account security, or investigate the disputed transaction. The filing of a payment dispute does not automatically establish that the Customer acted improperly. Suspension may be imposed as a temporary risk-control measure while the disputed transaction, account balance, and account security are reviewed. The Customer acknowledges that suspension may prevent the ETC Card from being used for further travel. The Customer remains responsible for: a. all valid charges incurred before suspension becomes effective; b. toll charges not yet received or invoiced from the road operator; c. valid unpaid invoices; d. properly assessed Past-Due Account Administration and Reminder Fees; and e. properly assessed payment-dispute costs. The Customer must not attempt to use an ETC Card after being notified that it has been suspended or disabled.
31. Mistaken or unintended chargebacks
If the Customer or cardholder mistakenly disputes an authorized JapanETCcard transaction, includes the transaction in a broader fraud report unintentionally, or later recognizes the transaction, the Customer must promptly: a. contact the card issuer and request that the dispute be corrected or withdrawn; b. notify JapanETCcard in writing that the transaction is recognized; c. provide available confirmation that the card issuer was contacted; d. explain why the JapanETCcard transaction was included in the dispute; and e. reasonably cooperate with JapanETCcard's response to Stripe, the card issuer, or the applicable card network. The Customer understands that asking the card issuer to withdraw or correct a dispute does not necessarily close the dispute immediately or return the disputed funds and related fees to JapanETCcard.
32. Continued responsibility and payment-dispute costs
A chargeback, provisional credit, payment reversal, fraud report, or card-issuer decision concerning the processing of a payment does not, by itself, cancel the Customer's underlying contractual obligation to pay a valid and accurately billed ETC charge or other amount properly due under this Agreement. If a valid payment is reversed and the funds are not returned to JapanETCcard, JapanETCcard may: a. restore the unpaid amount to the Customer's account; b. issue a replacement invoice; c. continue past-due account administration; d. suspend or terminate ETC Card access; and e. pursue other lawful collection remedies. JapanETCcard will not collect the same underlying charge more than once. If the disputed amount is later returned to JapanETCcard after the Customer has paid a replacement invoice, JapanETCcard will credit or refund the duplicate amount, subject to verification and any other valid outstanding balance. JapanETCcard may require the Customer to reimburse an actual third-party payment-dispute fee when: a. the disputed transaction was authorized and accurately billed; b. the Customer or cardholder admits that the dispute was mistaken or unintended, or the final issuer or card-network decision favors JapanETCcard; c. the dispute was not caused by genuine unauthorized use, duplicate processing, an incorrect amount, a JapanETCcard billing error, or JapanETCcard's material failure to provide an agreed service; d. JapanETCcard was actually charged a non-refundable dispute, chargeback, processor, or card-network fee; and e. JapanETCcard retains documentation showing the amount of the fee. The Customer will be responsible for the actual documented and non-refundable third-party fee charged to JapanETCcard for each disputed transaction. The applicable amount will be the amount disclosed on the Pricing page and in effect when the payment dispute is initiated, provided that the amount does not exceed the actual documented third-party cost incurred by JapanETCcard. JapanETCcard will not add a profit margin to the third-party dispute fee. The payment-dispute fee is separate from: a. the original invoice; b. the ¥1,500 Past-Due Account Administration and Reminder Fee; c. valid toll and service charges; d. security-deposit obligations; and e. other amounts properly due under this Agreement. No reimbursement will be charged for a third-party fee that was refunded, waived, or otherwise recovered by JapanETCcard. JapanETCcard will not recover the same third-party cost more than once.
33. Reactivation and repeated improper disputes
JapanETCcard may require the following before reactivating an ETC Card or account: a. payment of all valid past-due balances; b. payment of any valid replacement invoice issued after a chargeback; c. reimbursement of an applicable payment-dispute fee; d. confirmation that a mistaken or unintended chargeback has been corrected or withdrawn; e. written confirmation from the Customer or cardholder recognizing the transaction; f. verification of the Customer's identity; g. replacement or verification of the Customer's payment method; h. completion of additional payment authentication; i. payment of an additional security deposit when permitted under this Agreement; and j. completion of JapanETCcard's account-security and compliance review. Reactivation is not automatic merely because the Customer requests withdrawal of a payment dispute. JapanETCcard may wait until it has sufficient evidence that the payment issue has been resolved and that the account no longer presents an unreasonable payment risk. Repeated payment disputes, knowingly false or misleading disputes, refusal to correct an admitted mistaken dispute, or refusal to pay a valid replacement invoice may result in: a. immediate ETC Card suspension; b. account termination; c. refusal to issue additional ETC Cards; d. an increased security-deposit requirement where permitted; e. referral of the unpaid account for lawful collection activity; and f. refusal to provide future services. Nothing in these provisions prevents the Customer from reporting genuine unauthorized payment-card activity or exercising any right that cannot legally be waived.
34. Cancellation
You may cancel at any time. Cancellation does not eliminate your responsibility for tolls and charges incurred before cancellation, including delayed transactions reported later (see Section 37). Cancellation, card return/destruction, final billing, and security-deposit refund handling follow Sections 35–37, the Pricing and Fee Schedule, and the ETC Card Use and Toll Payment Policy.
35. Final billing
Cancellation of a JapanETCcard account does not eliminate the Contracting Customer's responsibility for ETC tolls, fees, charges, or other amounts incurred before cancellation. The Contracting Customer remains responsible for 100% of all ETC toll usage and related charges associated with the account through final settlement, regardless of the cancellation date. The security deposit is not a prepayment of future tolls and is not applied to or deducted from your final charges — you are responsible for paying your entire final bill. Because ETC toll data is supplied to JapanETCcard by Japanese toll operators and related service providers, toll information is not always reported in real time. JapanETCcard bills customers based upon the official toll data received from the applicable road operators and service providers. As a general process, ETC usage from one month is typically billed during the following billing cycle after official toll data is received (a 60-day billing cycle). Accordingly, charges incurred before cancellation may continue to appear after the cancellation request has been submitted. For example, if a customer cancels service during June, the final regularly scheduled invoice may not be issued until July 31 (the last day of the following month).
36. Security deposit refunds
The security-deposit refund process normally begins in the first week of August, after final account reconciliation is completed. The security deposit does not limit the Contracting Customer's responsibility for valid ETC charges reported after cancellation, and the Contracting Customer remains responsible for all properly due amounts regardless of whether the security deposit has already been refunded.
37. Delayed toll reporting
In certain cases, Japanese toll operators may report toll transactions significantly later than normal. Although uncommon, JapanETCcard may receive toll charges weeks or months after the actual travel date. By way of example only, a toll transaction incurred during April may not be reported by the toll operator until July or August. If JapanETCcard receives additional toll charges, adjustments, corrections, reversals, or other official billing data after an account has been cancelled, the Contracting Customer remains responsible for those amounts to the extent they relate to valid ETC usage associated with the customer's account, vehicle, or ETC card. This responsibility continues even if: • the account has been cancelled; • the ETC card has been returned or destroyed; • the final invoice has previously been paid; or • the security deposit has already been refunded. Upon request, JapanETCcard will provide reasonable supporting documentation showing the basis for the charge, which may include transaction dates, transaction times, toll locations, vehicle information, ETC card references, official operator records, and related account data received from the applicable toll operator. JapanETCcard will not knowingly bill a customer for toll activity that cannot be reasonably associated with the customer's account, vehicle, or ETC card; however, official toll operator records shall be considered the primary source for determining ETC usage and related charges.
38. Pricing Schedule incorporation and future changes
The Pricing page published by JapanETCcard forms part of this Agreement and is incorporated into this Agreement by reference. The Pricing page identifies applicable charges, including service fees, deposits, replacement fees, delivery fees, the Past-Due Account Administration and Reminder Fee, payment-dispute costs, and other disclosed charges. Acceptance of this Agreement constitutes acceptance of the Pricing version presented and incorporated at the time of acceptance. A pricing change will not retroactively alter a fee that was already incurred before the applicable change became effective. JapanETCcard may update the Pricing page to reflect changes in third-party processing costs, road-operator costs, card-network fees, shipping costs, services, account-management procedures, or other reasonable business requirements. JapanETCcard will provide reasonable notice of a material change that increases an existing Customer's mandatory fees or payment obligations. JapanETCcard may require the Customer to review and accept an updated Customer Agreement or Pricing Schedule before continued use of the ETC Card. Continued use after the stated effective date may constitute acceptance of a properly notified change only to the extent permitted by applicable law and the amendment provisions of this Agreement. JapanETCcard may preserve an electronic record of the Pricing version presented to the Customer, its effective date, the applicable Customer Agreement version, the Customer's acceptance, notices of later material changes, and the Pricing version applicable when a fee was incurred.
39. Changes to this Agreement
JapanETCcard may update this Agreement. Material changes are versioned, and you may be asked to review and accept the updated version. Accepting a new version is not evidence that you accepted the same wording during your original signup; each acceptance is recorded separately at the time it occurs.
40. Electronic acceptance
You agree that completing one-time-password (OTP) verification, typing your legal name, and selecting the electronic-signature button together constitute your electronic signature and your acceptance of this Agreement and the related documents, and that this acceptance is legally binding to the same extent as a handwritten signature, as further described in the Electronic Consent and Records Policy. JapanETCcard records each acceptance, and the acceptance record includes your verified email address, your OTP verification, the corrected legal-name snapshot used at signing, the agreement version, the document hashes, and the acceptance timestamp. The Customer specifically acknowledges and agrees that: 1. ETC charges are billed in arrears and may appear approximately two months or more after the date of travel. 2. If an invoice remains unpaid, a ¥1,500 Past-Due Account Administration and Reminder Fee may be charged for each separate seven-day cycle in which JapanETCcard issues a new reminder and performs additional documented account-management activity. 3. Except in cases involving genuine unauthorized use, immediate fraud risk, a card-issuer deadline, or another legally protected circumstance, the Customer must contact JapanETCcard Billing Support before submitting a payment dispute. 4. Filing a chargeback is a serious contractual action and is not a substitute for requesting a billing review. 5. Knowingly disputing an authorized transaction, or knowingly including a recognized JapanETCcard payment in an unrelated fraud report, may constitute a material breach of this Agreement. 6. JapanETCcard may immediately suspend the Customer's ETC Card and related services after receiving notice of a payment dispute while the transaction, unpaid balance, and account security are reviewed. 7. A chargeback does not automatically cancel the Customer's responsibility to pay valid ETC toll charges or other properly billed amounts. 8. If a mistaken or unsupported dispute causes JapanETCcard to incur a non-refundable Stripe, processor, or card-network fee, the Customer may be required to reimburse the actual documented third-party fee in accordance with this Agreement and the Pricing page.