JCB,a major global payment brand and leading credit card issuer and acquirer in Japan,and JCB International(JCBI),JCB's international subsidiary,announced that card complete Service Bank AG (card complete),a comprehensive payment service provider in Austria,signed an agreement to enhance JCB card acceptance. Card complete will start opening selected merchants in Austria to JCB cardmembers by mid-2008,especially merchants in the travel and entertainment business across the country. The addition of new merchants will strengthen JCB card acceptance network in the years to come.

  "JCBI has been directly acquiring JCB merchants for the convenience of its cardmembers in Austria,most of whom were from Japan",said Mr. Thomas Heigl,General Manager of JCB International (Austria) GmbH. "As tourism demand becomes more multifaceted and the JCB cardmember base outside Japan grows,however,travel destinations have become diversified from major sightseeing areas to provincial cities across the country. To respond to the fast changing tourist trends and customer needs,JCB and JCBI last year began to shift from direct merchant acquiring to licensee partnerships with acquirers in Austria".

  Mr.Heigl also commented that Austria is a popular destination for Japanese travelers. "Austria is now expected to greet a large number of visitors from Japan for the year 2009,as we enter the 140th year of diplomatic ties between the two countries. To celebrate this,lot of special events are scheduled,and cultural and economic interaction between these two are expected to be enhanced".

  "In addition to my confidence that this new strategic partnership with card complete,a major player in Austria's acquiring market,will certainly bring our cardmembers greater convenience,I believe card complete's merchants will also benefit from those cardmembers of JCB's solid base in Asia traveling to this country",Mr.Heigl added.