Japan store payment steering: what a game IAP screen may show
Analysis
By UA Ledger staff — 2 min read
Operator checklist for Apple Japan MSCA alternative payments and web links on an IAP screen, from Apple Developer support and Newsroom terms.
Purpose
Validate a Japan iOS IAP / web-shop steering screen against Apple’s MSCA documentation — not against EU DMA assumptions.
Documented Apple Japan rules
From Apple Developer Support — Changes to iOS in Japan and the 17 December 2025 Newsroom:
- Developers may offer alternative payment processing inside the app and/or actionable links to a website for digital goods, always alongside Apple In-App Purchase when merchandising with an alternative method.
- Kids category: parental gate before in-app alternative payment flows; no out-of-app website purchase offers.
- Users under 13: in-app alternative payment behind a parental gate allowed; no website link-out offers.
- Users 13–17: website link-out and in-app alternative payment allowed behind a parental gate.
- Business terms include App Store commission (10% or 21%), 5% Apple payment-processing fee on IAP, store-services commission on qualifying link-out sales (15% / 10% programme rates; sales within 7 days of link tap), and 5% Core Technology Commission for apps outside the App Store.
- Developer News: agree updated License Agreement by 17 March 2026.
Checklist
| # | Check | Pass if |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Choice UX | Apple IAP visible with any alternative option |
| 2 | Kids SKU | No web checkout link |
| 3 | Declared age <13 | No web checkout link; parental gate on alt IAP |
| 4 | Declared age 13–17 | Parental gate on alt IAP and web offers |
| 5 | Finance model | Uses Japan fee table, not US 30%/15% shorthand |
| 6 | Entitlement / agreement | Japan alternative-payment entitlement and March 2026 agreement recorded |
Limits
Google Play’s separate JP Billing Choice schedule is out of scope for this Apple card. Do not invent conversion rates for web-shop steering.
Research checked 20 September 2026. Local draft; human editorial review pending.
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