American Express President Kiyohara Speaks at Length

 

American Express International held a media reception on November 26 at Toranomon Hills in Minato Ward, Tokyo, with its newly appointed President Masaharu Kiyohara (who took office on September 15).

Founded in New York in 1850 (Kaei 3), the company initially focused on transportation and delivery services. It later shifted its core business to credit cards, developing various products and services. Through its global network of merchants and travel service hubs in over 140 countries, it provides high-quality services. As of 2013, it had issued 107.2 million cards worldwide, with a transaction volume of $952.4 billion that same year.

 

In Japan, it opened a branch in Yokohama in 1917 (Taisho 6). In recent years, through a business alliance with JCB, which has one of Japan's largest merchant networks, it has expanded its network of merchants where cards can be used in daily life, including restaurants, retailers, utility payments, supermarkets, and drugstores.

President Kiyohara, who has extensive experience in financial operations, stated, "My mission is to accelerate business growth in Japan, a key market." He emphasized the keyword is "deeper and wider," stressing that the target is not solely the affluent. Regarding the company's strengths, he highlighted its closed-loop system, where all operations—including merchant and customer management—are handled in-house. He revealed that the average annual spending per cardmember (globally) exceeds ¥1 million, approximately three times that of competing brands. He also referenced the ratio of card payments to cash payments, noting that while the US ratio is 40%:24%, Japan's is 17%:74%. This suggests significant potential for further growth in the card business. He particularly highlighted the strong performance and high growth potential of cards targeting sole proprietors and small business owners, stating the company will focus on reaching this segment.

 

To achieve "deeper and broader" engagement, the company launched its official Twitter account " @AmexJP " in October. This is its third social media channel, following Facebook ( facebook.com/americanexpressjapan ) and YouTube ( AmericanExpressJP ). Users can access brand content, videos, and information on dining, travel, shopping benefits, and campaigns. Furthermore, starting November 25, in partnership with Gurunavi, the company launched the dining platform "American Express Dining Trends powered by Gurunavi" ( www.gnavi.co.jp/amex/dining/ ). This platform, based on American Express card usage data, is now widely available to the general public visiting Gurunavi-affiliated sites. It features dining information for approximately 1,500 restaurants categorized by five lifestyle themes. In November, we launched "American Express Connect" ( https://network.americanexpress.com/connect/jp/ja/default.html ), a site consolidating preferred benefits usable in various scenarios. It displays various preferred benefits and campaign information across the board on one site. Members can log in to view and search information corresponding to their held cards.

Company official website: www.americanexpress.co.jp