⚡ 30-Second Answer: Lawson Bank ATMs — found inside Lawson convenience stores nationwide — have screens in Japanese, English, Chinese (Simplified) and Korean, and most operate 24 hours in urban areas. The crucial caveat, straight from Lawson Bank's official documentation: only some Lawson Bank ATMs accept overseas-issued cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay) for yen withdrawals. If you're carrying a foreign card and can't afford a miss, Seven Bank ATMs (in 7-Eleven) accept foreign cards at every machine and are the safer default.
Quick Reference
Value
Location
inside Lawson convenience stores
Screen languages
Japanese, English, Chinese (Simplified), Korean
Hours
most 24h in urban areas (follows store hours)
Overseas-issued cards
✅ Visa / Mastercard / JCB / UnionPay — but only at some machines
Every Lawson Bank ATM lets you switch the transaction screen to English, Chinese (Simplified) or Korean at the start of the session. Menus for withdrawal are fully translated, so language is not a barrier.
Overseas cards: the honest answer is "some machines"
This is where most guides oversimplify. Lawson Bank's own FAQ states that overseas-issued Visa, Mastercard, JCB and UnionPay cards can withdraw yen at some Lawson Bank ATMs — not all of them. There is no reliable way to tell from outside the store which machines are enabled.
Lawson is right in front of you → try it; if the machine declines the card without even asking your PIN, it's likely a non-enabled unit — walk to the nearest 7-Eleven rather than retrying
Hours: ATMs follow the host store — most urban Lawson stores run 24 hours; machines may pause briefly for maintenance overnight
Fees: your card issuer's foreign-transaction fee applies, and the ATM may add its own usage charge — the exact on-screen amount is shown before you confirm
Limits: per-withdrawal ceilings depend on your issuing bank as well as the machine; if a large amount fails, retry with a smaller one
Always choose local currency (JPY) if the screen offers dynamic currency conversion — paying "in your home currency" adds 3–7%
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do Lawson Bank ATMs support English, Chinese and Korean?
Yes. All Lawson Bank ATMs offer transaction screens in English, Chinese (Simplified) and Korean, in addition to Japanese (per Lawson Bank's official site).
Q: Can I withdraw yen with an overseas-issued card at Lawson?
Only at some Lawson Bank ATMs — Lawson Bank's official FAQ is explicit about this. Supported brands are Visa, Mastercard, JCB and UnionPay. If your first attempt fails, use a Seven Bank ATM at any 7-Eleven instead, where every machine accepts foreign cards.
Q: Are Lawson ATMs available 24 hours?
Mostly yes in urban areas, since machines follow the store's hours and most Lawson stores are 24/7. Brief overnight maintenance windows can occur.
Q: Lawson Bank vs Seven Bank — which should tourists use?Seven Bank is the default recommendation for foreign cards: universal foreign-card acceptance, 13 screen languages, and ~27,000 machines. Treat Lawson Bank as a convenient backup when a Lawson store is closer.