I am a freelancer working from Japan, and I have run into issues with a danish customer.
I had to open a Wise account because their bank (Nordea) cannot make international transfers without an IBAN number. The validation on the bank website simply does not allow you to proceed unless you enter a valid IBAN.
They called the bank who had no idea what to do, and I (also being danish) also called them, and the lady I talked to kept on insisting that I ask my japanese bank for an IBAN, even though I kept telling her it's not possible.
Have you encountered similar issues with other banks (namely in Europe)?
I wonser if there is some kind of "dummy IBAN" that you can use for transfers to Japan?
by West_Measurement9172
