August 16, 2026, 8:10 a.m. (JST)
[Japan] American Express (Tokyo, Japan) held a press briefing on August 5, 2026, focusing on the “Membership Model”—the philosophy that serves as the foundation for the customer experience provided to cardmembers.During the event, Naomi Mizumura, Senior Vice President of the Card Business Division; Nao Yamamoto, Vice President of Consumer Products & Partnerships; and Nobuaki Kano, Vice President of Commercial Products, provided a detailed overview of American Express’s unique “Membership Model” philosophy and the customer experience offered to cardmembers.Following the briefing, a luncheon was held with members of the media.
Delivering
the World’s Best Customer Experience Trust, Service, and Peace of Mind Are the Pillars
American Express’s vision is to deliver the world’s best customer experience every day.
Founded in 1850, American Express is a global company that has been doing business in Japan for 109 years. It operates in more than 200 countries and regions worldwide. Although the company began as a freight forwarding business, it has expanded its operations into the travel industry and credit card and payment services.
American Express places great importance on “Powerful Backing.” While this is a global brand message, it is built on the pillars of TRUST, SERVICE, and SECURITY.
In addition to consumer cards, the company also issues cards for sole proprietors and business owners. As customer needs evolve, individuals seek to “enrich and enjoy their lives more,” while business owners and sole proprietors aim to “take their businesses to the next level.” The company strives to provide services that meet these needs.
Providing
a Comprehensive Range of Services and Benefits Centered on Payments How Does the Membership Model Work?
American Express does not simply sell cards; rather, it offers a membership model that provides unique value. According to Mr. Mizumura, the company delivers its membership model and customer experience through field-led initiatives.
The membership model provides unique value that is difficult for others to replicate by comprehensively combining a wide range of services and benefits, using payments as the starting point. By combining travel, lounge access, offers, insurance, dining, and entertainment—all rooted in payments—the company creates experiential value that is hard to replicate, which serves as its core strength.Additionally, services that help amplify this experiential value include concierge services, sales consultants, and online UX and communication.
To foster the value of membership, the company strategically collaborates with partners around the world to design and deliver special experiences related to hotels, dining, entertainment, culture, and sports.
The membership model creates a virtuous cycle: by providing premium experiential value, the company expands its base of high-spending cardmembers; and by developing services that offer special experiences with attractive partners, it enhances member satisfaction, encourages usage, and broadens its membership base.
What kind of experiential value do we deliver to cardmembers?
Added value for individuals and corporations…
Mr. Yamamoto discussed how the company enhances the value of the cardmember experience.
The company highlighted the following distinctive services: the “Centurion Lounge,” an airport lounge exclusively for card members; “Fine Hotels & Resorts,” which offers premium benefits at over 3,000 hotels worldwide; and the “Concierge Service,” which listens to travel-related requests and creates and proposes customized plans.
Additionally, as a special experience, the company serves as a Global Official Partner (official sponsor) of Formula 1 (F1) and provided exclusive experiences at the Japanese Grand Prix held at the Suzuka Circuit. Mr. Yamamoto remarked, “This is something we can do precisely because of our global partnership.”The company also hosted the “Kiyomizu-dera Private Night Viewing,” an event where card members could explore the World Heritage Site of Kiyomizu-dera exclusively at night, before it opened to the general public. Furthermore, it offers “KIWAMI Dining” (formerly known as “KIWAMI 50”), a dining service and event featuring renowned restaurants that are notoriously difficult to book.
Mr. Kano discussed the added value provided by corporate card memberships. Regarding the Centurion Lounge mentioned earlier, for business cards, complimentary access is available only to holders of the “American Express Business Platinum Card” or higher. Additionally, the company offers Fine Hotels & Resorts for business travel accommodations.Furthermore, the company offers the “Platinum Secretary Service,” a 24/7, 365-day-a-year service exclusive to Business Platinum Card members that combines concierge and virtual secretary functions.
To support business growth, the company hosts various business seminars for Gold and Platinum cardholders. “Business Philosophy: Learning from What You Love” is a series of in-person events for Business Card members, providing a forum to learn about management and team building from prominent guests across various fields, based on themes such as sports and culture.In addition, the company hosts “Business Matching Events” nationwide to foster networking among business owners. The business matching program has 28,000 registered companies, and in 2026, a total of 18 events were held across eight cities nationwide. Participants reportedly feel a sense of security because they can connect with the company’s highly trusted Business Card members.Furthermore, the company provides dining services for business meals with clients. Mr. Kano states, “We facilitate peer-to-peer connections among our members.”
In closing, Mr. Mizumura expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “We want to continue providing experiential value that is exclusive to American Express cardmembers.”
