Opening a bank account -Foreigner friendly banking services in Japan-

Opening a bank account in Japan can be confusing. A lot of banks are available but not a lot of them are actually friendly to newcomers. A lot of rules and regulations also changed recently and some banks that used to be easily accessible to newly arrived foreigners are now more strict about their rules. From what we have observed around us in the last months, it seems that the Japan Postal Bank is the most accessible bank for foreigners on the market.

First of all, they do not require a minimal stay in Japan (some banks like MUFG recently started to require you to have lived in Japan for 6months before being able to open a bank account.)

Also, depending on the location some staff speak a little bit of English and have very detailed English explanations on how to fill their japanese forms.

In addition, they are one of the rare banks that is allowing non-residents with special situations to open a bank account in their establishment. (like the american military SOFA status members)

What do you need to open a bank account? Usually you need a Hanko (japanese administrative stamp of your name), a proof of residence (Juumin hyou 住民票) and your passport and residence card. You will also need a phone number depending on the bank.

In case you are a SOFA status member, you will need a Hanko, a proof of residence (lease or letter from your base), your passport and a phone number.