American Express Membership Rewards - From Chicago to Tokyo

I am currently a US AMEX Plat member and in a few months time, I will be shipping out to Tokyo and probably going to be there for around 2 years. As I am going to be spending mostly in Yen, I thought it would be wise for me to switch to AMEX Japan. However, reading through their website, they don't even have an English version and I have a feeling that I would take the longest time to look for an English-speaking representative to help me make this switch. Has anybody done this?? Changing from an AMEX US to AMEX Japan. If so, how was the experience, and do you know what kind of benefits AMEX Plat Japan has??

Another option would be to keep spending in Yen but pay in dollars, which would be crazily more expensive, but I heard that the International Dollar Card Platinum has better benefits compared to US Plat. Anybody know of the website for the Asia-Pacific IDC?

Thank you.

Hello Odin,

I hope this link (http://home.americanexpress.com/home/worldwide_main.shtml?location=globalsplash#) can help you

DSG

I would keep the US Amex and also get a JCB or whatever for local personal purchases. Use the Amex for travel only. That's what I do for US -> France.

However, reading through their website, they don't even have an English version and I have a feeling that I would take the longest time to look for an English-speaking representative to help me make this switch. Has anybody done this?? Changing from an AMEX US to AMEX Japan. If so, how was the experience, and do you know what kind of benefits AMEX Plat Japan has??

I have a Japanese as well as UK card, and have found that the representatives in Japan speak from passable to good English, and I am usually able to get things done without undue problems. Could you not get the transfer arranged from the US to simplify matters?

Thanks for the reply everybody. Eutow, i am glad that it was pretty easy for you to set up the AMEX in Japan and I hope that my experience would be just as easy. I wish I could start the transfer process here in the US but the problem is, I am not sure where I am going to be staying until I get to Japan. Until then, I am going to continue using my US card.

Eutow, what are the benefits like in Japan? Any difference from the one in the UK? Also, what is the annual fee?

Eutow, what are the benefits like in Japan? Any difference from the one in the UK? Also, what is the annual fee?

I'm not sure what the current Platinum benefits are. For Centurion, they are similar to the UK - insurance, Starwood Platinum, Hilton Gold, etc. The main additional benefit in Japan, Diamond in Hyatt Gold Passport, has been enhanced away.

I believe there is a thread which lists the benefits in different countries. Alternatively, Platinum in the US might be able to find out the detailed Japanese benefits for you. It might also be worth checking in the US whether they will arrange the transfer to Japan for you once you have an address. If they can, then one call back to the US once you are settled down might be all that is required.

The thread which lists member benefits by country is: here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=361021&highlight=benefits+country)

It shows the benefits for Centurion (it costs Y168k) in Japan, but not Platinum.