Banking

A comprehensive comparison of the top banks in Japan for expats — Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行), MUFG, Rakuten Bank, Sony Bank, and SBI Sumishin Net Bank. Covers account difficulty, ATM fees, international remittance costs, English-language support, and the best account combination strategy.

A step-by-step guide to opening a bank account in Japan as a foreign national — which banks are most foreigner-friendly, required documents, the 6-month residency rule, in-branch and online application processes, and tips for getting set up in your first week.