Japan Credit Bureau was founded in 1961 by Sanwa Bank (now MUFG Bank) and Nippon Shinpan (now Mitsubishi UFJ NICOS), as the country's second credit card issuer and payment network after the Japanese branch of Diners Club International.

[2] JCB also operates a network of membership airport lounges for holders of their Platinum Cards issued outside Japan.

In the United States, JCB is not a primary credit card network such as Visa or MasterCard.

The two companies signed a long-term agreement that led to the acceptance of Discover Network brand cards at JCB point-of-sale terminals in Japan and of JCB cards on the Discover network in the U.S.

[6][citation needed] Foreign JCB cards continue to work through the Discover network partnership.