My Number Reporting for Bank Accounts

My Number bank account reporting is the standard step where a Japanese bank records your 12-digit Individual Number alongside your new or existing deposit account.¹² The request surprises many newcomers because it arrives with tax-compliance paperwork, yet the ordinary savings-account step is a cooperation request rather than a penalty-backed order.³

Confirm current details with official sources

Procedures, fees, and requirements can change. Confirm current details at the National Tax Agency site, the Digital Agency site, or the bank where you hold or plan to open the account.

Overview

My Number reporting for bank accounts covers every mid- to long-term resident with a resident record, including foreign nationals, because that record is what triggers assignment of the number.¹⁴ Short-stay visitors without a resident record sit outside the flow entirely.¹

Non-residents living overseas whose registered address is overseas are in principle not required to submit an Individual Number.¹ Everyone else should expect the request at least once per banking relationship.

What banks ask for at opening

Banks ask new openers to provide or declare their My Number together with a residence card, address registration, and a Japanese phone number.¹²⁵ The step looks different by channel: a notification form at the counter, instructions by email after an online opening, or a document upload in the app.²⁵

SMBC Trust Bank states the request expressly on two legal bases at opening: the Amended Act on the Use of Numbers and the Act on Management of Deposit and Saving Accounts by Use of Individual Numbers Based on the Will of Depositors.² Other banks use shorter wording, but the underlying structure is the same nationwide.

Item	Role at opening	Notes
Residence card (both sides)	Identity, address, and status check	Must show a valid period of stay5
My Number Card or notification document	Number provision	Card alone is cleanest; alternatives below124
Juminhyo or other address proof	Address confirmation	Used where the card alone is insufficient5
Japanese phone number	Verification and contact	Needed for SMS checks and follow-up5

The table above covers the standard set as a whole (current as described by bank and resident-guide sources cited per row).

What holders of older accounts are asked to do

Holders of older accounts may later receive a My Number notification request by mail, email, or in-app notice.¹⁶ This follow-up is normal because deposit-account numbering proceeds only on the holder's notification, so banks re-ask holders who never filed one.³

Verify mailed or in-app number requests through the official channel

A later request on a long-held account is routine follow-up rather than proof of fraud by itself. Contact the bank through its official site or branch details before acting on any link in the message.³¹

Three backward-looking categories are framed as legally required notifications: deposit accounts opened by the end of December 2015 where the holder makes or receives an overseas transfer after January 2022, mutual-fund accounts opened by the end of December 2015, and corporate accounts opened by the end of December 2015.¹ Ordinary yen-savings and similar deposit accounts sit in the cooperation-request layer, a point SMBC Trust Bank phrases as customers "may be asked" from January 2018 for yen savings, MultiMoney, dollar savings, and checking accounts.¹

Legal Basis: Why Banks Collect My Number

My Number use started in January 2016 to tie personal information held across agencies to the same individual for social security, taxation, and disaster response.¹ Banks collect the number because tax and account-management statutes direct them to, not because each branch invented its own rule.

The three layers below share one number but rest on different statutes. The map shows the split before the detail.

The bank collection duty

The duty has three layers that are often conflated. First, statutory tax-report document preparation covers financial-product transactions and overseas wire transfers.⁷¹ Bank forms cite Income Tax Act Article 224(1) and Enforcement Order Article 336 for mutual-fund accounts, and the Act on Submission of Statement of Overseas Wire Transfers Article 2 Item 6 for overseas transfers.⁷

Second, voluntary deposit-account numbering runs under the Account Management Act (Act No. 39 of 2021).³ Financial institutions confirm the depositor's intention to report My Number when opening an account or when transferring more than 1 million yen overseas at a branch, but no number is assigned to the account without the depositor's notification.³

Third, the public-money receiving-account registry runs under the Account Registration Act (Act No. 38 of 2021) and is a different system from numbering.³ It registers one account per person with the national government (Digital Agency) to receive benefits such as pension, child allowance, and tax refunds.³ Registering a benefit account does not by itself number the deposit account.³

From April 2025, procedures under both the Account Management Act and the Account Registration Act can also be filed via Myna Portal by holders of an Individual Number Card.⁶

Numbering a deposit account is separate from registering a benefit account

Numbering reports your number to the financial institution for later lookup. The benefit-account registry reports one chosen account to the state for payments. Completing one does not complete the other.³⁸

What non-disclosure means in practice

In practice, declining or deferring the My Number notification does not block an ordinary deposit account the way a missing residence card does.³¹ The Digital Agency states that no numbering occurs without notification, and banks phrase ordinary deposit-account requests as cooperation.³¹

The legally required categories remain the narrow, backward-looking set above (pre-2016 accounts tied to overseas transfers, mutual funds, or corporate accounts).¹ No bank notice fetched for this article states an individual monetary penalty for declining an ordinary deposit-numbering request; the standard wording is "we appreciate your understanding and cooperation" (penalty posture inferred from the absence in bank and Digital Agency notices, not from a penalties schedule).¹³

CRS self-certification at new-account opening is a different matter. It is a required form step for reportable purposes and is distinct from the voluntary numbering notification.⁹¹⁰

How Information Flows to the National Tax Agency

The privacy question has a two-part answer. Numbering alone does not send balances to the state, while defined tax-reporting datasets do flow through the National Tax Agency on fixed schedules.³¹⁰

Banks prepare statutory reports on financial-product transactions for the Tax Office where the Income Tax Act requires them, covering mutual-fund general and special accounts, Maruyu changes, and overseas wire transfers.⁷¹ Reporting follows the instrument's own statutory basis rather than a single annual date.⁷

What the bank reports and when

Under the Common Reporting Standard, reporting financial institutions report in-scope account information to the district director by April 30 of each year from 2018 onward.¹⁰ That information is then automatically exchanged with foreign tax authorities under tax-treaty exchange provisions.¹⁰

The CRS dataset covers name, address, jurisdiction of residence, foreign Taxpayer Identification Number, account balance, and annual interest and dividend totals.¹⁰¹¹ From the 2026 amendments, institutions also report whether the holder gave a valid self-certification, the account type, and whether the account is new or pre-existing (as of 2025-07-17; confirm current guidance with the National Tax Agency).¹¹

Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, foreign financial institutions report foreign assets held by US account holders or face withholding on withholdable payments.¹² The HIRE Act added parallel US-person reporting duties on the taxpayer side.¹²

The amended CRS framework effective 1 January 2026 also brings money-transfer operators into reporting institutions and treats certain e-money products functioning like deposit accounts as reportable accounts (as of 2025-07-17).¹¹

Flow	What moves	When or on what trigger
Statutory product and transfer reports	Transaction records defined by the Income Tax Act and wire-transfer statement rules	Per transaction or account event71
CRS reports via the National Tax Agency	Identity, residency, TIN, balance, and yearly income totals	By April 30 yearly from 2018; exchanged under treaties10
FATCA reports via the National Tax Agency	US-person account data collected on bank FATCA forms	Per the bank's FATCA filing cycle129

The table summarizes the three reporting lines as a whole; each row carries its own cited basis.

What the bank does not share in daily banking

Notifying My Number to number a deposit account does not by itself send the account balance to the national government.³ The government can confirm a depositor's account information only when conducting necessary financial or tax investigations for social security purposes under laws and regulations.³

Numbering instead enables later lookup conveniences. Heirs can inquire about a decedent's numbered accounts at one institution during inheritance, and holders can inquire after a disaster, in each case presupposing the number was already registered on those accounts.⁶³

The public-money receiving-account registry is the one place where the account itself is registered with the government (Digital Agency) for benefit payment.³⁸ Ordinary numbering registers the number with the financial institution, not the balance with the state.³

Which Document to Present

The plastic 個人番号カード (kojin bangō kādo, "Individual Number Card") functions both as number proof and as photo ID, which makes it the cleanest single document at the counter.⁴⁷ Where the guide below names a fallback, bring the exact form stated rather than improvising.

Term	Reading	Meaning
マイナンバー	mainanbā	The 12-digit Individual Number assigned to each resident-record holder1
個人番号カード	kojin bangō kādo	Plastic photo-ID card carrying the My Number4
通知カード	tsūchi kādo	Pre-May-2020 paper card notifying My Number4
個人番号通知書	kojin bangō tsūchisho	Post-May-2020 letter informing My Number, not usable as proof4
住民票	jūminhyō	Residence certificate; a copy showing My Number serves as number proof47
公金受取口座	kōkin uketori kōza	Single benefit-receiving account registered with the state3
口座管理法	kōza kanri hō	Account Management Act, the voluntary numbering act (Act No. 39 of 2021)3

My Number Card vs notification forms

The Individual Number Notice (個人番号通知書, kojin bangō tsūchisho, "Individual Number Notice"), sent since 25 May 2020, only informs the holder of the number.⁴ It cannot be used as number proof or as identification.⁴ Plan on the card or a Juminhyo fallback instead.

The older paper Notification Card (通知カード, tsūchi kādo, "Notification Card") from before 25 May 2020 can still serve as number proof only when the name and address on it still match the resident record.⁴ After any move or name change it ceases to be valid proof.⁴ The fallback is then the My Number Card, a Juminhyo copy showing My Number, or a Certificate of Items Stated in the Resident Register.⁴

Neither document is reissued if lost. A lost Notification Card and a lost Individual Number Notice both point to the same three fallbacks: obtain the My Number Card, a Juminhyo copy showing My Number, or a Certificate of Items Stated in the Resident Register.⁴

SMBC Trust Bank's form reflects the same hierarchy. The Individual Number Card (both sides) needs no additional document, while a Juminhyo copy showing My Number must be the original issued within 6 months, and the Notification Card (both sides) carries the post-May-2020 match condition, each paired with the stated identity documents.⁷

Online-bank identity verification

Online-bank applications combine residence-card imaging with a face video or other electronic identity check.⁵ Banks handle the identity check and the number notification as related but distinct steps.

Identity verification and number notification can travel as separate steps within one opening.

SMBC Trust Bank illustrates the split from the other side. It delivers Individual Number submission instructions by email after an online account opening rather than inside the pre-opening form.² Readers opening online should therefore watch for the follow-up email instead of assuming the upload step finished the job.

Foreign Tax Residents: FATCA and CRS Forms

Tax-residency paperwork is separate from My Number submission. Japan-only tax residents complete a short declaration, while US persons and residents of other foreign jurisdictions complete additional forms so the bank can classify the account for exchange.⁹¹⁰¹²

Nationality and tax residency set which form applies. A Japan-only resident, a US person in Japan, and a resident of another participating jurisdiction each take a different branch, but all start from the same self-certification.

US persons and the W-9

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act targets US persons globally: foreign financial institutions report assets held by US account holders or face withholding on withholdable payments.¹² Japanese banks therefore identify Specified US Persons (US citizens, US residents, or US entities) at opening and route them to a dedicated form.⁹

At Mizuho Bank, a Specified US Person must submit the Mizuho Substitute Form W-9 for individuals or entities attached to the CRS self-certification.⁹ The bank instructs customers not to use the IRS Form W-9 itself.⁹ Readers should use the bank's substitute form from the branch where the account is held.⁹

At SMBC Trust Bank, customers whose registered address or phone number includes a US element are routed to a FATCA Certification Form plus a Substitute Form W-9 in change-of-details flows.⁷ New online openings there are limited to tax residence "only Japan" or "only Japan and the United States," with US persons asked to submit a separate form by post, which slows the opening.²

The W-9 family collects the US Taxpayer Identification Number and certifies US-person status for the bank's FATCA reporting.¹²⁹ Consult a tax adviser for questions about status; bank staff process the form rather than determine residency.⁹

Other jurisdictions and CRS self-certification

The Common Reporting Standard came into effect in Japan on 1 January 2017.⁹ Mizuho Bank must ask each opener for country of tax residence, date of birth for individuals, and foreign Taxpayer Identification Number.⁹

For new account openings on or after 1 January 2017, the holder submits a self-certification for new accounts stating name, address, jurisdiction of residence, and foreign TIN to the reporting financial institution.¹⁰ Holders of pre-31 December 2016 accounts may voluntarily submit a self-certification for pre-existing accounts.¹⁰

Where the declared jurisdiction of residence is Japan, the holder writes "Japan" and no My Number is required on the CRS self-certification itself.¹⁰ Where the declared jurisdiction is a foreign jurisdiction, the foreign TIN must be stated.¹⁰ Per-jurisdiction TIN formats are covered by OECD portal and National Tax Agency CRS Corner guidance.¹⁰

For new specified transactions on or after 1 January 2026, reporting institutions must collect new-format notification forms including name, address, country of residence, and foreign TIN (as of 2025-07-17; confirm current guidance with the National Tax Agency).¹¹

Good to know

Bring My Number documents even when the checklist says optional

Branch and online checklists sometimes list the number step softly, then staff ask for it anyway. Banks request the number at opening or shortly after, and online banks especially treat it as standard.⁵² Arriving with the My Number Card avoids a second visit.⁵

Existing accounts can get a later My Number request by mail or in the app

A mailed or in-app My Number request on a long-held account is routine follow-up, not by itself a fraud signal.³¹ Numbering proceeds only on the holder's notification, so banks re-ask holders who never filed one.³ Verify through the bank's official contact rather than a link in the message.

Your My Number itself does not change when cards or addresses change

The 12-digit number is stable while the documents around it change.¹⁴ After a move or renewal, update the resident record and the card handling at the ward office.⁴ A stale Notification Card address stops being valid proof, and the fallback becomes the My Number Card or a fresh Juminhyo showing My Number.⁴

Tax-residency self-certification is separate from My Number submission

Completing the My Number notification does not complete CRS or FATCA paperwork, and vice versa.¹⁰⁹¹² The CRS self-certification declares jurisdiction of residence and foreign TIN, with no My Number entered when the jurisdiction is Japan, while the FATCA substitute form certifies US-person status.¹⁰⁹ Complete each form the bank asks rather than assuming one covers the other.

See also

• Bank Account in Japan for Foreigners: The Six-Month Rule
• Japan Post Bank for Foreigners: Opening a Yucho Account
• Japan's Banking System: The Five Bank Tiers Explained
• Bank Account Opening Documents in Japan
• How to Request Koseki and Juminhyo Copies
• My Number, Koseki, and Juminhyo Linkages

References

Footnotes

1. SMBC Trust Bank PRESTIA. FAQ No. 211 "For which transactions is My Number required?", updated 2026-01-23. https://faq.smbctb.co.jp/faq/show/211?site_domain=smbctben ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹

2. SMBC Trust Bank PRESTIA. "Open an Account: Requirements / Request for Notification of your Individual Number." https://www.smbctb.co.jp/en/openaccount/application.html ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

3. Digital Agency, Government of Japan. "FAQ: Deposit Account Numbering System," last updated 2026-03-31. https://www.digital.go.jp/en/policies/mynumber_faq_09 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶ ↩¹⁷ ↩¹⁸ ↩¹⁹ ↩²⁰ ↩²¹ ↩²²

4. Japan Agency for Local Authority Information Systems (J-LIS). "Individual Number Notice and Notification Card." https://www.kojinbango-card.go.jp/en-tsuchicard/ ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴ ↩¹⁵ ↩¹⁶

5. GaijinBlog. "How to Open a Bank Account in Japan as a Foreigner in 2026." https://gaijinblog.com/posts/how-to-open-bank-account-japan-foreigner ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

6. SMBC Trust Bank PRESTIA. "New Act Regarding the My Number System (2)" (Account Management Act and Account Registration Act procedures from April 2025). https://www.smbctb.co.jp/en/news/2025/news_071425_01.html ↩ ↩² ↩³

7. SMBC Trust Bank PRESTIA. "Notification of Individual/Corporate Number" request form and ID guide (statutory bases and accepted documents). https://www.smbctb.co.jp/en/support/updatingprofile/pdf/mynumber.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

8. Digital Agency, Government of Japan. "Deposit account numbering system" (overview), last updated 2025-03-31. https://www.digital.go.jp/en/policies/numbering-on-accounts ↩ ↩²

9. Mizuho Bank. "Common Reporting Standard (CRS)" notice and instructions (CRS effective 1 January 2017 in Japan). https://www.mizuhogroup.com/bank/crs ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³

10. National Tax Agency (NTA). Leaflet "To persons who will open financial accounts etc." (CRS self-certification outline), PDF. https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/kokusai/crs/pdf/0021012-107_02.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰ ↩¹¹ ↩¹² ↩¹³ ↩¹⁴

11. KPMG AEOI Updates. "Japan: Issues Circular on Upcoming Changes to Domestic Framework Aligned with OECD 2022 CRS Amendments," 17 July 2025 (PDF). https://kpmg.com/kpmg-us/content/dam/kpmg/taxnewsflash/pdf/2025/07/tnf-fatca-japan-jul16-2025.pdf ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

12. U.S. Internal Revenue Service. "Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)." https://www.irs.gov/businesses/corporations/foreign-account-tax-compliance-act-fatca ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷