Bank Account Opening Documents in Japan

Bank account opening documents in Japan decide whether your first branch visit ends with an account or a wasted afternoon.¹² Gather the set below before you go, because banks must refuse applications they cannot verify.¹²

Confirm current details with official sources

Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at the Financial Services Agency site and the specific bank's official account opening page.

Overview

This guide covers the typical document set for a first-time account opener with mid-to-long-term residence status and a registered Japanese address.¹² Tourists and short-term visitors cannot open a standard resident account.²³

Banks verify your name, address, period of stay, status of residence, and employment status at opening without exception.¹² The exact list varies by financial institution, branch, and channel, so treat the FSA pamphlet as typical items and confirm the specific branch or app list before you apply.²⁴³

Core Document Checklist

Bring originals for everything below. Staff photocopy your documents at the counter, and MUFG requires originals within expiry or issued in the past 6 months.⁴³

Item	What to bring	As of	Notes
Residence card	Original 在留カード (zairyū kādo, "residence card") with current address	n/a	Core ID at every bank43
Proof of address	Residence card back address; 住民票 (jūminhyō, "certificate of residence") or utility bill if requested	n/a	Extra proof is bank dependent53
My Number document	個人番号カード (kojin bangō kādo, "Individual Number card"), notification card, or resident register extract showing the number	n/a	Collection tied to tax residence reporting36
Hanko or signature	Personal seal where required; signature accepted at Yucho and online banks	n/a	Rubber stamps excluded at MUFG3
Phone and second ID	Japanese mobile number plus passport	n/a	SMS or voice verification in app flows5
Work or school proof	Health insurance card, employment contract, student or employee ID	n/a	Employer confirmation possible43

Remaining period rules change by bank, so check dates against the table notes. Japan Post Bank cannot open an account when the period of stay expires within 3 months of the application date (as of 2026-09-06; confirm current figures with Japan Post Bank).⁴ MUFG asks applicants with 4 months or less remaining to return after renewal (as of 2020-03-04).³

Residence card with current address and remaining period

Your 在留カード (zairyū kādo, "residence card") is the core document. Japan Post Bank asks every foreign customer to present it to confirm nationality, status, and period.⁴ MUFG checks period of residency, status, and related items from the same card across all applicant categories.³

Check two things before you leave home. First, the address on the back must be your current address. Second, the expiry date must leave enough remaining stay for the bank you chose.⁴⁵³

If your card has no photo, Japan Post Bank asks for an additional document such as a copy of the resident register.⁴ Persons granted a stay of 3 months or less at entry who were not issued a card cannot open an account at Yucho counters.⁴

Proof of address beyond the residence card

The residence card address usually suffices, since the current address prints on the back after municipal registration.⁵ The Yucho app flow tells you to enter the current address exactly as shown on the back of the card.⁵

Some branches still ask for a second address proof. MUFG accepts a 住民票 (jūminhyō, "certificate of residence") showing 6 months or more prior residence as proof of 6-month residence.³ Other counters request a recent utility bill or juminhyo when the card address looks outdated, though this is branch practice rather than a published rule.⁷

Update your ward registration before the bank visit

Register your new address at the municipal office first, then apply. An updated card back address prevents the most common extra document request.⁷

My Number document for FATCA and CRS collection

Banks must collect tax residence information for new accounts under FATCA and CRS automatic exchange rules.³⁶ MUFG implements this as a pre-visit My Number document plus a country of residence confirmation under the Act on Special Provisions, pointing applicants to the National Tax Agency CRS page.³⁶

MUFG accepts one of the following: Individual Number card, notification card, transcript of resident register, or Certificate of Items Stated in Resident Register showing the number.³ Other banks set different timing. Some allow a basic ordinary deposit account first with My Number submitted later, so confirm the deadline with your chosen bank.⁷

The Yucho app channel is a special case. The official app guide states Japan Post Bank will not ask for or access your Individual Number during app procedures.⁵ Collection for that channel happens outside the app flow if the bank requires it.⁵

Hanko or signature

Practice splits by channel. MUFG requires a personal seal for all applicant categories and states rubber stamps cannot be used.³ A simple unregistered seal suffices where requested; a registered seal with certificate is not required for a standard account.⁷

Japan Post Bank and online banks accept a signature instead. Practitioner sources report Yucho signature acceptance and no seal requirement at Rakuten, Sony, and SBI Shinsei type online flows, though you should confirm with the specific branch before buying a seal.⁷

Do not buy a seal before you choose a bank

Ask the branch whether a signature works for that account type. Many first-time openers never need a seal for the account itself.⁷

Japanese phone number and passport

App flows cannot complete without a Japanese number. The Yucho app sends the identity verification code by voice call or SMS to the registered number, and the flow stops until you enter it.⁵ Overseas numbers do not work for this step, and data-only or VoIP numbers are often rejected, so a voice and SMS capable contract SIM is the safer preparation.⁵⁷

Branch flows also record a contact number for fraud alerts and delivery checks.⁵⁷ Bring your passport as well. Japan Post Bank may ask for it alongside the residence card.⁴

Branch vs App: What Changes by Channel

Japan Post Bank offers both post office counter opening and smartphone opening through the ゆうちょ手続きアプリ (Yūcho Tetsuzuki Apuri, "Yucho Procedure App").⁴⁸ The app supports Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese, and Vietnamese (as of 2026-09-06; confirm current details with Japan Post Bank).⁸ Core identity checks stay the same across channels; what changes is how you present documents and how long verification takes.⁴⁵

In-branch opening pattern

Present originals and let staff photocopy them.⁴ Japan Post Bank warns same-day opening is not guaranteed for foreign applicants because statutory confirmations take time.⁴ The bankbook may be mailed to your home later, and some applications are declined even with complete papers.⁴

MUFG foreign resident openings happen in person at the branch with the full document set.³ Where you apply as a resident working in Japan, the bank may contact your employer to confirm working status.³ An employer introduction letter is not on any official requirement list, but practitioner sources describe it as an informal aid that speeds screening at some branches.⁷

Staff explain important matters in Japanese. Applicants who cannot follow the Japanese explanation may be asked to return with a Japanese-speaking companion.⁴

App-based opening pattern

The Yucho app opening needs the phone you regularly use, your identification documents, and an email address.⁵ Student or Technical Intern Training status applicants add a student ID, employee ID, or certificate of enrollment, using the Yucho template filled by the school or company when no ID exists.⁵

Identity verification scans the residence card IC chip via NFC plus front and back photos and a live face image.⁵ Cards without photos are not accepted in this flow.⁵ Excluded cases include business use accounts, under-16 customers, applicants without a residence card, cards expiring within 3 months or under renewal, foreign PEPs and family, and names with Roman numerals.⁵

The cash card arrives by registered mail to the registered address, generally in 1 to 2 weeks, with online banking setup after delivery.⁴⁷

Prepare in Order Before You Apply

Register your address at the municipal office first. This fixes the residence card back address that banks check and creates the resident record behind your My Number.⁵⁷

The sequence below reflects the order that avoids repeat visits.

Secure a voice and SMS capable Japanese SIM before starting the bank application.⁵⁷ Then confirm the specific branch or app document list, since branch discretion means the same bank can differ by counter.⁴³⁷

Allow 30 to 60 minutes for a branch visit.⁷ If language is a barrier, choose a bank with English support first or bring a Japanese-speaking companion to an in-branch application.⁴⁷

Call ahead when the branch list is unclear

Confirm seal, second ID, and employer proof by phone before you travel. One missing item usually means a second trip.⁴³⁷

Good to know

Address mismatch stops the application first

A card showing an old or blank address field triggers extra document requests or rejection.⁷ Updating at the ward office before applying is free and resolves it.⁷ Banks treat address as a core verification item, so do the municipal step before the bank step.²

Short remaining stay can trigger a wait or a second visit

Yucho counter and app flows both enforce the longer-than-3-months remaining rule (as of 2026-09-06; confirm current figures with Japan Post Bank).⁴ MUFG applies a 4-months-or-less return-after-renewal rule (as of 2020-03-04).³ Renewal generally opens 3 months before expiry, so banks push near-expiry applicants to renew first rather than opening on a card about to change.³

No Japanese phone number yet means sort the SIM first

Starting the app flow without a Japanese number fails at the SMS or voice code step.⁵ Branch flows also record a contact number for fraud alerts and delivery checks.⁵⁷ Get the SIM sorted before the bank appointment rather than after a failed verification.⁵⁷

Bring originals, not copies, and expect the cash card by mail

Copies alone waste the visit. Staff copy from originals, and MUFG requires originals within expiry or issued in the past 6 months.⁴³ Even when the account number is issued the same day, the cash card arrives by registered mail requiring receipt, so arrange redelivery if you miss it.⁴⁷

Opening itself has no account opening fee at the surveyed banks. Budget instead for small indirect costs such as a seal purchase if needed, a SIM contract, and a juminhyo issuance fee that varies by municipality.⁷

See also

• Bank Account in Japan for Foreigners: The Six-Month Rule
• Multiple-Account Strategy for Foreign Residents
• Japan's Banking System: The Five Bank Tiers Explained
• How to Request Koseki and Juminhyo Copies
• The Visa-Bank-Phone-Apartment Chicken-and-Egg Problem

References

Footnotes

1. Financial Services Agency. "Living in Japan: How to Open a Bank Account and Send Money" (directory page, updated 2025-04-25). https://www.fsa.go.jp/en/user/livinginjapan.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

2. Financial Services Agency. "Living in Japan: How to Open a Bank Account and Send Money" (English pamphlet, revised September 2024). https://www.fsa.go.jp/en/user/03.english_2024.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

3. MUFG Bank. "Clients wishing to open a personal bank account" (pre-visit requests, as of 2020-03-04). https://www.bk.mufg.jp/global/productsandservices/p_banking/pb_account.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³

4. Japan Post Bank. "口座を開設される外国人のお客さまへ" (Procedures for foreign customers opening an account). https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kaisetu/kat_gaikokujin.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²² ↩²³

5. Japan Post Bank. "Yucho Tetsuzuki App User Guide for Foreign Nationals" (app identity verification and account opening steps). https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/app/tetsuzuki/pdf/guide_en_quick.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹

6. National Tax Agency. "Common Reporting Standard (CRS)" (information linked from MUFG account opening page for tax residence confirmation). https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/kokusai/crs/index.htm ↩ ↩² ↩³

7. GaijinPot. "How to Set Up a Bank Account in Japan." https://blog.gaijinpot.com/how-to-set-up-a-bank-account-in-japan/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²²

8. Japan Post Co. "Support for non-Japanese customers opening an account" (multilingual call center and Procedure App languages). https://www.post.japanpost.jp/finance/bank/procedure/account/multilanguage-callcenter_en.html ↩ ↩²