Chase just added Chip and Signature to CSP. You can call to request it. I hope they put the contact chip on the front especially if they kept the numbers on the back.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chase...-2013-a-6.html

I had the same issue at the Ginza Marriott in January `12. I ended up using a card with foreign transaction fees. When I called Chase to complain after the bill came, they offered me the equivalent value of the transaction fee in points. I think it happened one other time but with a very small charge. Nice to know about chip & sig!

I have had mixed experiences using the Sapphire Preferred card in Tokyo, and I just assumed some readers were less able to read the metal card than others. Then when I was unable to use the card in a grocery store where I had previously used the card, I got fed up and started Googling. At least I'm not crazy!

Anyway, I called Chase Monday night (42 hours ago) and asked if they have a plastic option available, and to my surprise, they do. I was asked if I wanted the plastic or plastic with chip, and I opted for the chip of course. Also to my surprise, I just received the card! I cannot believe how quickly it arrived from the US (via UPS). Faster than I've ever gotten a card within the US.

So hopefully the plastic works better. I shall report back if it does not.

Problems With Chase Sapphire Card In Japan
 

Does the chip+sig work fine, since they don't need to swipe any more?

we used chase chip &sign cards for 17 days in 5 cities. never failed. would guess 50 uses. i never noticed if the chip was used or the strip. a number of the places were very tiny mom & pops, in very out of the way places.

Sapphire
 

I have been having trouble for a while, to the point i gave up since it was troublesome for all in line when it didn't work.

Also with a high yen it didn't make sense.

This plastic version with chip sounds promising, although i will miss everyone saying "wow" when they feel the weight of the metal card.

I had an issue with the metal chip & sig CSP at a hotel in Kanazawa but on the whole could use it elsewhere. It worked in 3 of 4 attempts in JR kiosks for express or shinkansen tickets with attempting 0000 and then 9999 as pin.

The chip version is just as heavy as the non-chip one. It still has the metal strip in the middle. We love having ours in Canada and Europe.

He's talking about ordering one without the metal layer in between since it seems to cause trouble in certain cases.

Ah. I didn't know you could get one that way.

So have others recently found the chip-and-sig version of Chase Sapphire to be pretty reliable in Japan? I just got this card for a trip to Japan in September, and while I've read that Chase will be changing these to chip-and-pin later this year, I'm not counting on that happening before my trip.

Welcome to Flyertalk willdude!

While I have no problems with the technical aspects of this card, the format of the card does confuse some cashiers. One spent almost a minute swiping the card the wrong way until I corrected her! :p

Wow, I had my first failure just 30 minutes after writing that!

We don't have CSP but are planning to use 2 Chase cards with chip+sig on our upcoming trip. Will also have CapOne as backup. I will report back with any issues.

Our Chase cards have been accepted everywhere in Tokyo without one rejection. We have chip + sig but 7/11 did not even require signature. Not once have I been asked for a PIN. I think the Japanese machines are smart enough to spit out sig receipts and the store clerks (unlike some countries) are smart enough to know what do when PIN is not required.