#All Japan Post Bank services will be down from:
#*START:* Tuesday, May 2 (11:55 PM -)
#*END:* Saturday, May 6 (- 7:00 AM)
#(*TOTAL* 3+ days)
Those with Japan Post Bank accounts will be ***unable*** to do the following:
* Can’t use JP Bank ATMs (e.g. at post offices)
* Can’t use non-JP Bank ATMs (e.g. at convenience stores)
* Can’t use JP Bank debit cards
* Can’t withdraw money
* Can’t deposit money
* Can’t make money transfers
* Can’t use Yucho Pay and other smartphone apps
* Can’t add money to smartphone payment services
* Can’t use the “Savings Counter” at post offices
* Can’t login to the Yucho Direct website
* Can’t register accounts
#Double-check your cash reserves and withdraw the cash you need *before* May 2nd, 11:55 PM.
[More official details from JP Post Bank (in English)](https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/news/2022/assets/pdf/information_en.pdf)
[And in Japanese (日本語)](https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/news/2022/news_id001880_01.html?ui_medium=banner_l&ui_source=top_banner&ui_campaign=23_5)
33 comments
I’ll just pre-empt the inevitable comment from someone asking “Why do ATMs have to shut down? They’re *automatic*!!”. The reason is the same as it has always been: To give the little old lady who lives inside the machine a break.
Great PSA!
Everybody, take heed.
Holy shit, thanks for the heads up.
Those poor ATMs need a break too
At a certain point, you gotta just laugh.
If you’re carrying a wedge of cash on you cos of this, don’t get carried away when youre out on the drink. First of all it sucks to wake up knowin you’ve blown a small fortune and moreover it’ll suck when you remember you cant get any out for two more days. Speaking from experience here.
Been here almost 15 years and still can’t believe this is still a thing
**Really thanks. If I hadnt seen several of these posts here, I would have totally run into this blindly.**
I received some direct messages, but I dismissed them as the usual GW our (person-based) services are down. I understand it now thanks to these reddit posts, but somehow it is still unbelievable to me that they indeed make a full shutdown on an all out scale for 3 days. And, additionally, why not do it over new years, why golden week? it is so odd so odd altogether.
Actually needed this reminder – thank you
Sounds like another Mizuho ATM disaster is on the way.
It’s actually unbelievable that the 3rd richest and one of the most developed nations the planet has ever seen has to shut its ATMs for over half a week because the octogenerian burkes in charge of everything think it’s still 1979 and actively refuse to believe that fact that things can be paid for **without** needing to retrieve paper rectangles from a box.
Oh shit I forgot about this! I have friends visiting from overseas. If they need to take out money what should they do??
it was initially called Golden Week since that’s the only currency you can access
I <3 Nihon
Yes, it’s annoying, but the good news is that JP Post announced recently that they are phasing this out and this will be the last year for this to hahahah could you fucking imagine
I have friends visiting me in Tokyo. Does anyone know, are these the only ATMs available for people with foreign cards?
I seem to remember hearing that it was difficult if you don’t have a Japanese cash card.
They are trying to make service better. Surely you have noticed the relentless progress of better service at Japanese financial institutions over the past decade or so?
Nice post. Is it really true you can’t get money? Not even at convini ATM ?
Which is the banks way of saying “We’ve made bad investments with your money without your permission so we’re shutting down all ATM’s to prohibit you access to your own money that we’ve invested so we can recuperate our losses hoping that the market will come back during the time the ATM’s are shut down.”
Looking at you Mizuho….
I -think- that [this post](https://old.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/p1k2g2/comment/h8owk9g/) was the beginning of the rabbit-hole I fell into the last time I looked at *why* Japan’s ATMs needed to be shut down.
Happy golden week everyone.
Glad I stopped using JP Bank a few years back. It really is beyond a joke lol.
Armageddon.
Hit it earlier today. Thanks for the reminder though. 😀
Trying to submit my request for a visa extension and found out some services on government websites are also closing for the duration. They also close the websites.
While we’re here, can someone explain to this American how Japanese ATMs manage to dispense perfectly uncreased brand-new notes every single time? It’s almost as unbelievable as the public toilets!
Damn, another reason to be grateful for this community. I would never have known.
Thanks!
Nostalgia attack.. The very first company I worked for had me make a JP Post bank account, but they never told me about the shutdowns over holidays. I forget which holiday it was but I remember being skint broke with surprised Pikachu face. It was a rough few days. XD
Glad to see those hard working ATMs are getting some time off! Have a great golden 3 days!
Use these days off to open a real bank account with Sony bank.
What a great way to have people spend money in the country. By not having access to the funds. Just can write this shit.
I mean… The bank ATMs also close every night at 8 or 9pm. The teller inside has to get a good 12 hours of sleep.
Whew! Thank you! Hopefully I would have realized tomorrow but just in case, the 4000 yen I currently have in my wallet might not have carried me through 6 days.
The little obaachan sitting inside the ATM needs to take vacation too, guys.