CREDIT SAISON

Corporate History

1951
May
Established as a retailer specializing in installment sales.
1968
Jun.
Listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
1976
Mar.
Formed a capital tie-up with Seibu Department Stores, Ltd.
1980
Aug.
The Company’s name was changed from Midoriya Department Stores to Seibu Credit Co., Ltd.
1982
Aug.
Began construction of a nationwide network of Saison Counters to process issuance of Seibu cards.
Commenced installations of unmanned cash dispensers.
Started the lease business.
1983
Mar.
Seibu Card name changed to SAISON CARD.
1985
May
Started credit guarantee business.
1988
Jul.
Developed an international credit card with no membership fees through a tie-up with Visa and Mastercard.
1989
Oct.
Company name changed from Seibu Credit Co., Ltd. to Credit Saison Co., Ltd.
1990
Apr.
Credit Saison began to issue Saison Postal Savings Cards, the first cards in Japan to support signature-less transactions (in Seiyu food outlets).
1991
Jan.
Affinity card business started.
1995
Jun.
Saison JCB Card issued in cooperation with JCB Co., Ltd.
1997
Oct.
SAISON American Express® Card issued through an affiliation with AMERICAN EXPRESS®.
2000
Aug.
Net Answer, an Internet service, started.
2001
Mar.
Nominated for inclusion in the Nikkei Stock Average (Nikkei 225).
Nov.
Supporting company contract for the Japan national soccer team concluded.
2002
Feb.
Eikyufumetsu Points, which never expire, started.
2003
Jan.
Began using SAISON CARD EXPRESS for speedy online card issuance.
Aug.
Agreement reached on a comprehensive alliance with the card division of Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (Idemitsu Card mydoplus issued in April 2004).
Sep.
Super Value Plus, an insurance product exclusively for cardmembers, issued through a business alliance between Credit Saison, Saison Automobile and Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. and Sompo Japan Insurance Inc.
2004
Feb.
Decision made to form a strategic equity and business tie-up with Resona Holdings, Inc. (Resona Card+S (Resona Card Saison) was issued in October 2004).
Apr.
Basic agreement reached with Takashimaya Company, Limited on a strategic alliance in the credit card business. (TAKASHIMAYA Saison Card issued in September 2004).
Aug.
Basic agreement on forming a strategic alliance in the credit card business concluded with the Mizuho Financial Group, Inc., Mizuho Bank, Ltd. and UC CARD Co., Ltd.
2005
Apr.
New credit center Ubiquitous started operation.
Oct.
Saison Platinum American Express® Card issued.
Dec.
Credit Saison acquired additional shares of Resona Card Co., Ltd., making this company an equity-method affiliate.
2006
Jan.
Credit Saison merged with UC Card Co., Ltd. (card issuance business).
Mar.
Saison Card Loan issued.
Jun.
Comprehensive alliance formed with Yamada Denki Co., Ltd. in the credit card business (Yamada LABI Card launched in July of the same year).
Jul.
Agreements to form a business alliance with The Shizuoka Bank, Ltd. (Shizugin Saison Card Co., Ltd. established in October 2006 and ALL-S Card issued in April 2007).
Oct.
Points exchange website Eikyufumetsu.com(Current Saison Point Mall) launched.
Nov.
Shareholder agreement signed with Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd. and joint venture established (Heart One Card issued in May 2007).
2007
Mar.
Saison Asset Management Co., Ltd. launched own investment trusts.
Agreement for comprehensive alliance with Yamaguchi Financial Group, Inc. (YM Saison Card issued in October 2007).
Jun.
Lowered the interest-rate ceiling for cash advances to 18% or lower.
Oct.
Established Qubitous Co., Ltd., the industry’s first comprehensive processing service specialist.(Qubitous was made a consolidated subsidiary in April 2008).
Changed the UC Card point system to Eikyufumetsu points.
2008
Jan.
Issued SAISON Platinum Business American Express® Card for individual proprietors and business owners.
Jun.
Rental business launched (commencement of home appliance rental in an alliance with Yamada Denki).
Sep.
Absorbed LAWSON CS Card, Inc. by merger.
Oct.
Launched new credit operation center Kansai Ubiquitous.
2009
Mar.
Started handling Flat 35 loans.
2010
Mar.
Basic agreement reached on comprehensive business alliance with SEVEN & i FINANCIAL GROUP CO., LTD. (Apr. 2011, Sogo & Seibu Card business was split off into a new joint venture).
Apr.
Started operation of Akagi Nature Park.
Jun.
Strengthened alliance with AMERICAN EXPRESS® and extended card lineup to four card categories.
2011
Jul.
Issued NEO MONEY, a prepaid card exclusively for use by Japanese travelers visiting other countries.
Aug.
Tie-up with China UnionPay for affiliated store operations in Japan.
Nov.
Started the first use of Eikyufumetsu points for net shopping in the industry.
2012
Apr.
Started handling Flat 35 Plus mortgage loan packages.
Jun.
Established a representative office in Hanoi, Vietnam.
2013
Jan.
Started handling Saison Asset Formation Loans.
Apr.
Established a local subsidiary in Vietnam to conduct consulting.
Entered alliance with Coiney, Inc. on smartphone settlements.
Jun.
Started Saison CLO, a cardmember referral service linked to card settlements.
Aug.
Strengthened business collaboration with Concur Technologies, Inc., a provider of  expenses settlement solutions.
2014
Feb.
Started accepting applications for the Mitsui Shopping Park Card , which has optimized the bonus point program of the Mitsui Fudosan Group.
Apr.
Opened a representative office in Jakarta, Indonesia.
May
Established a local subsidiary in Singapore.
Jul.
Commenced Saison Portal and UC Portal that provide smartphone apps for cardmembers.
Sep.
Saison Asset Management Co., Ltd. formed a capital and operational alliance with Japan Post Co., Ltd.
Nov.
Formed a capital and operational alliance with Singapore-based MatchMove Pay Pte Ltd.
2015
May
Formed a comprehensive capital and business tie-up with Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Development Joint Stock Commercial Bank (HD Bank) and established HD SAISON Finance Company Ltd.
Launched Sodan, a free counseling website for women focused on life issues and money.
Jun.
Established Saison Ventures Co., Ltd., the first corporate venture capital established by Japanese credit card company.
Sep.
Established PT. Saison Modern Finance, a finance services company, in Indonesia.
Nov.
Established Monex-Saison-Vanguard Investment Partners, Inc., a discretionary investment management business.
Dec.
Launched SAISON CHIENOWA, a website with content on thinking about working and living.
2016
Feb.
Commenced offering Saison Home Assist Loans.
May
Big data infrastructure Saison DMP launched.
Commenced offering Saison Smart Money Transfer Service.
Jun.
Launched hintos, a website introducing services provided by business ventures.
Jul.
Participated in open innovation-type R&D organization DG Lab.
Sep.
Started handling Saison Property Investment Loan for purchasing apartment for investment purposes.
Dec.
Point Investment Services for long-term investment using Saison Eikyufumetsu points started.
2017
Jan.
Tied up Saison Eikyufumetsu Points Program with JP Bank’s prepaid card mijica.
Apr.
Acquired 100% shares of Omnibus K.K., a digital marketing company.
Jul.
Saison Rent Guarantee Rent Quick launched.
Sep.
Abolished employee classifications and launched a common HR system under which all employees are on indefinite-term contracts.
Dec.
Formed a capital tie-up with leading Southeast Asian ridesharing service operator Grab Holdings Inc. and established Grab Financial Services Asia Inc.
2018
Mar.
Established investment platform Investment Accounts.
Launched new point investment service.
Jun.
Established Kisetsu Saison Finance (India) Private Limited in lndia.
Sep.
Experience stock investment the easy way, using points.
Credit Saison announces the Point Investment Service (Individual Stock Course).
Nov.
Credit Saison Partners with SCG, Mitsui & Co. Agreeing on Establishment of SIAM SAISON Co., Ltd. in Thailand.
2019
Jan.
Started handling Saison Reform Loan.
Apr.
Launched the special class benefit program, Saison Classe.
Jun.
Established Saison Capital Pte. Ltd., a corporate venture capital, in Singapore.
Sep.
Formed a comprehensive capital and business tie-up with Daiwa Securities Group Inc.
Nov.
Started providing Saison Pocket smartphone-based securities services.
Dec.
Basic agreement on absorption-type merger of Qubitous Co., Ltd.
Issued SAISON Cobalt Business American Express® Card, a business credit card.
2020
Mar.
Launched the SAISON TEACHER-corporate lessons financial education program.
Oct.
Launched the Saison's Furusato tax payment service.
Nov.
Started accepting applications for the Daiwa Securities Saison Platinum/American Express® Card.
Launched SAISON CARD Digital, a new smartphone-based payment service.
Started accepting applications for the Saison Rose Gold American Express® Card.
Dec.
Began issuing Saison Gaming Card.
Launched an impact investment program through its Singapore subsidiary.
2021
Mar.
Began issuing Likeme♡by saison card.
May
Started accepting applications for the SAISON BUSINESS Pro CARD.
Jun.
Established CASM, Inc., a joint venture with CyberAgent, Inc.
Jul.
Made Wine and Spirits Culture Association and Wine & Wine Culture Co., Ltd. wholly owned subsidiaries.
Aug.
Began issuing the Shop Channel Card Saison American Express® Card.
Sep.
Formulated the CSDX Strategy, the digital transformation strategy of Credit Saison.
Launched Saison-no Kurashi Daikenkyu, a website providing information for living long happily with a sense of security.
Oct.
Starting providing YoriSoi Care, a discharge support service, jointly with MedPeer, Inc.
Made Motionpicture Co., Ltd. a subsidiary.
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