Useful Information

Let’s open a bank account in Japan!

2023.08.06

Let’s open a bank account in Japan!

Do you want to open a bank account? I explain how to open a bank account.

Conditions for opening a bank account

1. You are going to stay in Japan for 6 months or more

2. You have a certificate of residence

 

1. You are going to stay in Japan for 6 months or more

To open a bank account, you must have the prospect of staying in Japan for at least six months.　This condition is for opening a saving account that can transfer money to other countries. If you do not need the function of transferring money to other countries, you can open an account if you are going to stay in Japan for 3 months or more.

 

2. You have a certificate of residence

To open a bank account, you must have a certificate of residence. If you have been staying in Japan for three months or more, you can obtain a certificate of residence by submitting a moving-in notification to the city hall. Thus, before opening a bank account, you should complete the procedures for obtaining a certificate of residence at the city hall.

 

What you need to open a bank account

1. Personal Identification

2. Things that confirm your address

3. Phone number

4. Name stamp/Inkan

You bring them to a bank. I will explain them in detail.

 

1. Personal Identification

Please bring a Residence card and Passport. If you have an insurance card, driving license card, student card, or staff ID card, please bring them, too.

 

2. Things that confirm your address

A certificate of residence and receipts and bills of utility confirm your address.

Certificate of residence

 

After you submit a moving-in notification to a city hall and it is accepted, you can receive a certification of residence by applying at a counter. You may not get it just after submitting a moving-in notification. In that case, please apply a few days after. To apply for a certification of residence, you need to write the required information such as your name and address on “Application for a copy of certificate of residence” and submit it. If you do not know something, please ask the city hall staff. If you have “My number card”, you can get a certification of residence by a copy machine in a convenience store.

Receipts and bills of utility

Utility is the fee of gas, electricity, and water. Their bills and receipts can be certificates of your address.

  1. Phone number

You have to have your landline phone number or mobile phone number.

  1. Name stamp (Inkan)

You need a name stamp (Inkan) to open a bank account. It is common to make a name stamp of your family name. You can order a name stamp at Inkan store or by online. You can order a name stamp of Katakana or Alphabet. You need a name stamp when you make a contract of your house, so let’s make it!

How to open a bank account

  1. Go to a bank

Please go to a bank with what you need to open a bank account. Some banks offer the online service for opening bank accounts.

2. Complete the application procedures

Please follow the bank staff instructions. If you do not understand the meaning of question, please ask the staff each time. Your friend who understands Japanese well may help you to complete the application procedures.

  1. Receive bankbook and cash card

After you finish the application procedures, you can receive a bankbook and cash card. You can receive a paper bankbook there. However, many banks have recently abolished or charged paper bankbooks, and they recommend downloading applications and having a digital one.  Your cash card will be delivered to your house on a late date. Only the person himself/ herself can receive it, and you will need to show your identity verification documents such as a residence card or passport when you receive it. It will take about a week for the card to arrive.

Merits and demerits of opening a bank account by online

Merits

  • You can use translation function and understand the meaning of questions well.
  • You can proceed at your own pace.

Demerits

  • If you do not understand something, you cannot ask someone immediately.
  • It takes time to confirm the information, so it takes a lot of time to open a bank account.

Recommended banks for Foreign people

  • ゆうちょ銀行　Yucho Ginko

Yucho Ginko provides an online service for opening a bank account. You can use a tablet to complete the application procedure. On the tablet, you can open an account in Japanese or English. Application procedures are in a chat format, and your address and name are automatically read from the identity verification document to make it easy to complete.

Also, if you open an account in store, you can download the documents and fill in them in advance. The documents are available in multiple languages, so even those not good at Japanese can easily create an application form. If your status of residence is student or technical intern training, you need to bring not only a residence card but also a student card or a staff ID card.

  • 三菱（みつびし）UFJ銀行　Mitsubishi UFJ Ginko

You can choose the type of bank account which does not need a name stamp (Inkan). Paper bankbooks are not issued, so you check the deposit and withdrawal of money online.

  • りそな銀行　Risona Ginko

You do not need a name stamp (Inkan) to open a bank account. You can open it by just taking a picture of your residence card and sending it through the application. However, you may need staff ID, insurance, or student cards. Your bank account card is sent by e-mail, so you should have a mail address that can receive e-mail in Japan. It will take about two or three weeks for the card to arrive.

Opening a bank account may seem difficult, but your anxiety will be reduced if you know what you need and how to do it in advance! Some banks do not require a name stamp (Inkan) or can be applied for online, so open an account in the way that suits you!

“Words used in Payment Slip (Kyuyo meisai)”

https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/payment-slip20020611en/

“About pension system in Japan”

https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/pension20220214en/

“Withholding Tax Statement (tax-income certificate)”

https://social-b.net/baiyu/en/gensenchoshuhyoen/