Do you have any recommendations how to easily transfer money to your overseas (European) bank account?
I tried WISE but the setup failed for some reason and I am traumatized to go to Japanese banks.
I speak Japanese perfectly but I easily get annoyed by all the bureaucracy that occurs once you enter a bank. What do I need to bring nowadays to transfer money with a Japanese bank successfully?
6 comments
For larger funds transfers, generally Sony or Shinsei (and sometimes Prestia) will offer the easiest experience / possibly best rates / lowest fees. However every major bank can handle international transfers. If you are transferring to a foreign bank with good exchange rates on the yen, you can always elect to have your bank send the funds in yen (without conversion).
You can’t do a SWIFT transfer to your European bank? I always did SWIFT transfers to/from Deutsche Bank and it always worked flawlessly.
And since you speak Japanese perfectly perhaps call the bank in question and ask…
Contact Wise support? They’re not too bad to deal with when something goes wrong. Otherwise, yeah you’re going to have to eat the higher exchange cost if you’re in a hurry.
You’ll need your bank stamp, some ID (zairyu, myNumber maybe) and maybe passport. If you have your bank book that would be nice. Assuming you’re squared away for the checks they make on your first international transfer, you’ll need bank deets including SWIFT code or equivalent, and recipient details inc address.
There’s this whole double down on anti money laundering paperwork since about a year ago, so expect it to be more than just a quick checkbox. I don’t think you’ll have any issues if you have all that. It’s just gonna suck ass (and and maybe take like 30min instead of 15min while the less experienced staff member goes back and forth with the branch manager because they’ve never done an international transfer before or dealt with a foreigner account).
I only use PayPal’s transfer service Xoom.
I use Revolut whenever I want to transfer money to my U.K. account, overseas transfers are free as far as I know.
If you can “speak Japanese perfectly” than I’m sure you can handle a trip down to your bank branch to ask them.
The easiest way would be to use the online banking system of any modern bank like Sony or Rakuten, but assuming you’re stuck with Yucho then you’re best off just grabbing your bank book, zairyu card, mynumber card / notification card and your bank stamp if you have one and asking them to do it for you.