So I just wanted to see if anyone else is having the same experience as me with jp post. Ive had an account with them for years. Ive lived here almost a decade. Three or four times now in about 3 years i have been locked out of my account and when i try to make any transactions a receipt prints out telling me to go to the bank and kind of “prove my residency” aka bring gaijin card and fill out a form. until i do, i have no access to MY money and honestly im fed up with this. If it were an emergency and i needed cash i would have been screwed. All because of some anti-terror/money laundering policy. How many times do I have to fill out this form before they take a married, settled, english teacher from north america off of their “usual suspects” list 😑… all joking aside has anyone had the same issue? have you found any ways to stop this nonsense? if there is no way around i will be closing my yucho asap cause this is some seriously anti foreigner/profiling behavior and locking someones funds is unnacceptable without any good reason other than “company policy”. sorry for the rant
ps. we will all have differring opinions about the anti-foreigner-ness of this and whether or not its fair so please just stick to experiences, and advice
16 comments
Are you on a yearly visa? This usually happens when their records say that your period of residency is over.
Every few years I get a letter from my bank that says “we are sending this letter to your registered address. If this letter is returned to us as undeliverable we will freeze your account”.
My understanding though is that if you’re on a status of residence that has an expiration date you’re meant to go into your bank and update the copy of your residence card that they have on file after each renewal.
I blame the prevailing trend of ç ”ä¿®ç”Ÿ selling their accounts for a quick buck when they leave Japan for good.. then said accounts are used by scammers to receive illicit funds
happens more than you think
I used to find it annoying and useless too until I found out how some foreigners actually *do* abuse bank accounts for evil purposes. Can’t really blame a bank for taking measures to prevent assholes from using its services to fund crime.
> closing my yucho asap cause this is some seriously anti foreigner/profiling behavior
Its not a yucho policy. It’s the law that every financial institution has to follow. No matter what banking facility you use, if it has a presence in Japan it will be required to do this anti-money laundering stuff.
It is however, within the banks right to handle your account in a way they want to once you enter that period of re-proving your residency. My bank tells me 2 months in advance to update my residency status or risk losing access to it. My other bank does so 1 month in advance.
It is everytime you renew your zairyu. At least in my case. All banks require it
It’s not just JP post, it’s all banks because of a government regulation that requires banks to verify the residency status of their customers. I got a message from my bank the last time I renewed my residency card that I needed to bring it to the bank so they could verify that I was still a legal resident. Just comply with their request and verify your residency with them.
I’m a bit lost in trying to come up with an explanation for that.
I have had an account with them for more than 20 years and have never had that kind of problem. At the time I opened it I was on a one year working visa and my visa status has changed numerous times since then and I’ve never had to update them on anything related to it so all this stuff people are saying about needing to go in and do so doesn’t seem correct to me (at least based on my experience).
Its very strange, and must be quite frustrating for you. Wish I could offer more useful advice….
I get pretty angry every time they freeze my account. I feel it is not very transparent of them, and if I could I would throw them away.
In my view (as an American) if JP post was professional enough, they would send a friendly reminder to their costumers to let them know that they need to update their information, and also provide ways that it can be done. Turning off my account is considerably rude
Do you have an unlucky name?
Ultimately, move to SONY bank or something, LOL
Never had this issue with Shinsei
It’s by law that they do this.
I have 2 bank accounts, each at different banks. Once I get a new residence card, I go to both of my banks within the week. Never had a problem.
I usually have to go to the bank anyways so it all goes smoothly.
Every time I renew my residence status, I get that request from my banks, MUFG, SMBC, Mizuho.
I think I always did it online, never had to bring it to the bank personally.
Not a US citizen though.
As others have said- all banks have to confirm your identity, but they have discretion with how they do it.
Rakuten IIRC sent registered mail with a link that I had to log in to my account?
My little local bank had me come in to the branch. PITA in the ass but understandable as they’re not a huge operation. They gave me tea and cookies and apologized profusely.
JP, though. I got one of those postcards last year, went in and did the dance, then I got another one this year, despite having PR, not changing zairyu card, address, etc. That postcard is sitting on my desks for months now. I don’t need to use them for payments any more, so I’m going to close my account when I do take the postcard in
Yup sometimes I get a notification letter from the bank asking me to prove I’m not a terrorist.
Look pilgrim, it’s like my anti-tiger rock I keep in my pocket. That can’t work you say? When’s the last time you were attacked by a tiger?
Same idea – when’s the last time you were terrorized? NHK and the JW’s don’t count.