29 docs tagged with "banking-basics"

ATM hours in Japan close early at most banks. This guide maps Seven Bank at 7-Eleven, Yucho, Lawson, and AEON hours, fees, and foreign cards.

Opening a bank account in Japan as a foreigner often runs into an informal six-month rule some banks apply. Here's why it exists and which banks skip it.

Bank account opening documents in Japan: residence card, address proof, My Number, hanko or signature, and phone tips for first-time openers.

Rejected for a Japanese credit card as a new resident? This guide explains the 1 to 3 year screening pattern and the documented steps that improve approval.

Japan has two debit systems: domestic J-Debit and Visa/Mastercard brand debit. Compare acceptance, online use, and protections, and pick the right first card.

First credit cards in Japan for foreign residents: Rakuten, Epos, AMEX Japan, and employer routes, with terms, limits, and application notes.

Foreign-currency income with JPY expenses: how weak-yen and strong-yen windows shift spending power, plus monthly conversion discipline and tax residency rules.

FX fee comparison for Japan remittances: the three cost components, the Wise baseline method, and a worked JPY 100,000 example to find true all-in cost.

Hanko bank Japan rules for new account openers: when a signature suffices, when a registered bank seal is still asked for, and how to choose at opening.

IC transit cards work as cash across Japan. Learn Suica, PASMO, and ICOCA interoperability, charging, caps, and mobile setup for daily spending.

Japan Post Bank opens accounts fast for foreign residents on a residence card alone, often same-day. Here is what the basic Yucho account can and cannot do.

Japan's banking system runs on five tiers: megabanks, regional banks, shinkin/shinkumi, online-only banks, and Japan Post Bank. Here's what each one is for.

Megabanks in Japan explained: what MUFG, SMBC, and Mizuho offer beyond smaller banks, from mortgages to corporate accounts, plus who needs one.

Multiple bank accounts in Japan solve what one bank cannot: cash access, wires and FX, card approval, and mortgage ties. How residents divide the work.

My Number bank account reporting explained: what banks collect at opening, how details reach the tax agency, and FATCA/CRS forms for foreign tax residents.

Compare SBI Shinsei, Sony Bank, and Rakuten Bank for foreign residents: English support, multi-currency features, fees, and branchless trade-offs.

Compare Rakuten, SBI, and Monex brokerages in Japan: fee-free trading conditions, NISA support, and foreign-resident account opening explained.

QR code payments in Japan explained: PayPay, Rakuten Pay, d Payment and LINE Pay setup, funding, acceptance, and campaign points for residents.

Revolut Japan explained for residents: plans, limits, and how OFX, Western Union and MoneyGram compare for large transfers and cash pickup corridors.

Sending money out of Japan faces heavier checks than sending money in. Learn thresholds, documents, and timing for outbound wires from Japan.

Shinsei GoRemit ended in 2025. Compare the GoRemit fee record, SBI Remit successor, megabank wire fees, SWIFT inbound steps, and AML delays.

How foreign residents can register a signature instead of a hanko at banks and for official filings, where it works, and where a seal is still expected.

Sony Bank multi currency account explained for Japan residents: 12-currency deposits, Wallet direct spending abroad, dated spreads, and use cases.

Japan bank book (tsucho) explained: what the paper passbook does, why megabanks now charge annual fees for it, and whether to keep paper or go digital.

Cash in Japan still rules small shops, while digital wins at konbini, transit and big retail. This guide maps where each wins and how much cash to carry.

Jitsuin, ginko-in, and mitome-in explained: what each hanko tier does, where each is registered, and which seal a foreign resident needs first.

Using a foreign credit card in Japan works in cities on Visa or Mastercard. Learn fees, ATM cash rules, and when to switch to a Japanese card.

Cash still rules in parts of Japan: small eateries, clinics, ryokan, shrines, plus school and neighborhood cash collections. See where yen is needed.

Wise Japan remittance explained: mid-market fees, JPY balance rules, transfer steps, verification holds, and typical speeds to and from Japanese banks.