Choosing a good bank in Japan

Picking the right bank is important, because you'll be using your bank account a lot, and certain banks are hard to deal with.

Dealing with banks in Japan as a foreigner is a lot more difficult than in your home country. Banks here are much more conservative and paranoid, have older technology, usually do not have English support or websites, and have more paperwork.

You want an account with a bank that:

• Has (or is partnered with) ATMs that have good English support. Some ATMs say they support English, but only for a limited number of operations.
• Has an English hotline, and English internet banking.
• Is with a modern bank, with up to date technology.
• Has a decent presence in your city.

My favourite bank is Prestia. They used to be Citibank Japan, and their English language support is very good, as is their internet banking experience. However, you need to keep more than 200,000 yen in the account to avoid their maintenance fee.

Avoid Yucho (Japan Post Bank) and Shinsei.

Note that sometimes employers will demand you open another bank account at whichever bank they use. They do this to reduce their bank transfer fees for their payroll.

Be aware that banks routinely ask for know-your-customer information. Some banks are less burdensome at this than others. They will usually ask for you to send them a copy of your new residence card when their records show your old one expired.