I would like to say that after the AMEX SPG card did away with the FTF, I've been using it like crazy both in China and Japan, and I've racked much more SPG points than before and I don't really care about other cards offering me 2% on general purchases anymore, since SPG points are valuable.
It is really a peace of mind for me and it is absolutely DCC-free. Everyone should try it.
On a side note, on a Shinkansen Kiosk at Osaka Station, I actually used my SPG Business card successfully in purchasing tickets, while all my other cards including the Chip-and-PIN A+ were rejected by the machine. I couldn't remember whether I've set up a PIN for my AMEX SPG Business, but I just used my common PIN and it was actually accepted (Chip-and-PIN ready? I don't know) and the charge shows up on AMEX as a purchase, not a cash advance.
Hope this helps.