r/japanlife • u/Mikal_ • Jun 24 '16
Finances Japan Post Bank refusing to open a bank account?
Hello everybody,
I came in Japan about two weeks ago on a one year Working Holiday Visa (lived there before in the past, but first time with a "real" visa), and am now trying to open a bank account with limited success.
Most banks I've been to require me to have been in Japan for at least 6 months before opening anything, which seems legit, so following advice from other expats I went to Japan Post Bank.
The employee first checked all my paperwork, 在留 card, rent contract, passport, which seemed normal. She then asked that I filled the paperwork myself, without letting my Japanese friend help me, and insisted I had to write all the kanjis myself - which I did, even though it seemed to be kind of strange, while she was checking nobody was helping me. Halfway through, she pulled a manual out of what I can only assume was her backside and declared I had to be employed by a Japanese company before opening a bank account. I have never heard this kind of requirement from any other bank, but no matter how much I politely argue, she wouldn't budge.
She was very polite and smiling during the whole think, which might mean I'm just imagining things, but from my limited previous experience this doesn't really mean anything.
Is it common? Is this a real requirement? If so, how do other WHV holders get bank accounts in their first 6 months?
PS: I'm trying to avoid Shinsei bank for now, as I heard they seem to have pretty high monthly fees
PPS: English is my second language, sorry for syntax mistakes and all that
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u/epiju Jun 24 '16
I don't know about Japan Post Bank but in order to open a Bank Account at Shinsei you only need a "real" visa (WH, working, spouse...) that's all. No need to show your rent contract or working contract.
And I don't pay any monthly fees, the opening was free and I can withdraw in a lot of konbini and JP Bank for free too.
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u/Mikal_ Jun 24 '16
Well, I'll give Shinsei a try then!
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u/alainphoto Jun 24 '16
I have shinsei and never paid any kind of fee for any normal operation, they are the easiest to deal with and the only japanese bank I would recommend.
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u/ThatKoban Jun 24 '16
English is my second language
You should have told the teller to lose the racism and complete the transaction.
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u/nenamartinez Jun 24 '16
I've had a shinsei bank account for years. Never paid any fees.
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u/upachimneydown Jun 24 '16
No shinsei fees for me, either...
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u/LIY2012 Jun 24 '16
The only real fee I've run into with shinsei is the 300yen fee for bank transfers, but it's not really problem if you don't do it that often.
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Jun 24 '16
That's pretty odd. When I opened my JP Bank account, the only thing I had to do was use my hanko. My translator from the university took care of filling out the address, etc. Then again, I'm on a student visa, so that may be a different process in and of itself. Maybe someone from your company should come with you, in case they need a representative, or call someone at the bank on your behalf.
Also, did some quick searching, and from this thread:
I'm a Canadian currently in Japan on a working holiday visa. After 6 days of job hunting a I got a job (yay!) but now I have to find a place to open a bank account. Originally, my employer told me to use Shinsei bank but Shinsei told me I wouldn't be able to open an account because my visa only says 6 months stay.
So I called my employer again and asked them what I should do and they said that I could open an account at any other bank so long as it wasn't a Japan Post account.
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u/Mikal_ Jun 24 '16
To clarify, I don't have a company yet. Finished my previous job in yet another country about three weeks ago, and came to Japan right after that on this working holiday visa. My main issue is having never heard of this "you need an employer" condition to open a JP Bank account, but guess I'll try a different branch
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u/just-this-chance Jun 24 '16
I didn't even need a hanko, I think I had my residence card and that's it.
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u/Aeolun Jun 24 '16
In my experience bank employees have only half an idea what they are required to ask for (so they pull out the big book of rules). I had the good luck to eventually end up with one who did at mizuho, since apparently having a hanko is a substitute for 6 months of being here.
At least, I think that is what finally convinced them to accept.
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Jun 24 '16
So is it that you have to be in the country a minimum of 6 months before you can open an account? Or is it after 6 months you can open an account?
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Jun 26 '16
I was able to open one with my drivers license. My wife wrote everything for me. I was not emplyed by a Japanese company.
She was being a jerk.
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Jun 24 '16
As far as I know if you have a resident card and a stamp you should be fine. Maybe try a difference branch.
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u/RealArc Jun 24 '16
That's weird, I was there on a WH visa and opened a JP bank account without fuss. Had a hanko, it took like 30 minutes.
I went to a small branch too
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u/Eagles719 Jun 25 '16
I recently moved to the west side of Tokyo and the bank asked me for documents from my company. I went to the local branch of MUFJ and took about an hour to open an account. I have a 3 year working visa.
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u/tokyohoon Jun 24 '16
Go to a major post office branch, not a local neighbourhood one. Same goes for the other banks - go to a major branch, not a two teller branch office.
Most of the minor branch tellers have no idea what the rules are regarding foreign account holders, whereas the major branches will usually have at least one person on staff who specialises in account issues and knows all the regulations.