Is there an ideal time to close my Japanese bank account? My JET contract finishes this summer. I think my final paycheck will come a few weeks after I leave, but once I have that, I’ll want to close it.
On that note, I won’t be in Japan at the time. How difficult is it close a bank account remotely? Are there any things about the process I should know about?
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I tried to close mine on my last day at work (just before some public holidays and before I got on the plane) and I couldn’t because I had a payment being refunded to my card.
Anyway my Japanese bank account was left open and they told me I would need to close it in person 🤷♀️ so I guess I’ll do that next time I go back for a holiday. I don’t think you can close them from overseas but it could depend on your bank.
My CO closed my primary bank account.
I withdrew all but a few hundred yen in my account before returning home and, when I returned to Japan several years later, it was active and had the bank office update my address and I just kept using it.
You should talk to your employer about getting them to pay you early. They certainly can and they certainly should because leaving the country is a pretty significant circumstance.
Be aware that your final paycheck is probably going to be smaller than your previous paychecks because certain types of social insurance have a slightly higher bill your last month on a job.
I just… didn’t. It’s still open. I don’t know the long term ramifications of this.
Last time I left Japan I just left my account open. Haven’t checked it, but I’m told it will likely still be open when I get back. I wouldn’t worry about it unless your bank charges some kind of regular fee.
I closed mine the day before I left Japan.
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I made an account when I got here. I tried to close it a few years later, but they told me I have to close it in the town that I opened it in. The problem is that the town no longer exists. It got folded into some larger town and the name and all that was changed. It’s like Lord of the Rings or some shit. So I just left it open. As far as I know it’s still there, since nobody tracked me down yet.
I advise you not to close it. Diversifying your cash reserves is always a good idea. The Yen is historically one of the safest currencies to hold. If you are American and inflation continues to tear away at the dollar… it might be wise to hold onto some yen just in case… you never know what will happen. Unless you love paycheck to paycheck, it’s always smart to diversify your cash reserves and keep yourself from losing everything Weimar Republic style.
I left it open 💁♀️ I plan on going back but the panorama kinda put the hold on that. It’s still open according to my former supervisor. Left 2018, used it in 2019 on a holiday there.