So I moved to Japan at the beginning of July and found an apartment about 2 weeks later. When I signed the contract and everything, it included half of July and all of August (well, until today), but I can’t figure out how I’m supposed to pay it. I opened a Yucho account and downloaded the Yucho app, and registered for Yucho direct, but in the app, the 「ゆうちょダイレクトにログイン」button is grayed out, so I can’t login in to do anything.
When I contacted EPOS, they told me it would take around 2 months to register my bank account with them to do direct withdrawals, and that I should pay by other methods until then, and then sent me a text with options on how to pay, but I can’t figure out what I’m supposed to do. It looks like I need to apply for an EPOS card which I don’t want to do. Why can’t I just pay with my American bank account? Why does this have to be so difficult? Does anyone have any ideas of what I need to do?
EDIT: I’m a student in Japan and only just made a bank account 2 weeks ago and just got my cash card from Yucho this week. I also don’t have a job yet as I just got my work permit allowance on Friday from the immigration center, so there is no money in my Yucho account.
**EDIT2:** I was able to figure it out. When I contacted EPOS the other day (they are who I pay the bill to I guess), they sent me a link to pay by other methods until the direct withdrawal is setup, but when I tried to use that link, it kept trying to get me to signup for an EPOS card which was not what I was trying to do. However, when I tried it again just a little bit ago, it gave me an option to create a barcode and to pay it at a conbi within 15 minutes, so I went and was able to pay. I had to withdraw the money I just put into my Yucho account, but other than that, there were no issues. Glad that’s taken care of.
16 comments
You can try using the website ? I prefer the website over app when doing the actual transfers.
So, you had about two months to figure out transferring money, but decided to ignore until last day? Great start.
If you have a Yucho bank account and a debit card, just go to an ATM and make deposit (振込) to your landlord’s account.
In your rental agreement application did you enter your bank information? Mine gets taken out automatically by the rental company. In the past, I would manually do furikomi at the ATM machine. Fukikomi only appears on the Japanese menu.
Ask your management company, they’d know.
If all else fails the guarantor company will pay on your behalf and then they’ll send you a slip for it you can pay in the conbini
Is there a barcode on the notification for your rent slip? If so you can just pay at a conbini
If you are a foreign student, you have a lot of leeway here in Japan. So it’s not time to panic yet. I think you can leagally delay rent payments for like three months. Just call the real estate agency or whoever got your apartment and explain your situation.
When I came here, I didn’t have money in my account for the first month or two so I just asked apologetically if I could pay by credit card (like I did for the initial payment) and it worked.
If I were in your shoes I would get money at the ATM from my overseas account and furikomi it to the landlord.
If your only problem is how to transfer usd to your jpy account, go to your bank and ask your account info, register on wise, make a transfer in literally 5 minutes
Go to atm, withdraw the money from American account. Message the agent and ask for confirmation of payment type and detail. DeepL the message to Japanese.
Follow their instructions. If transfer, take the cash, go to JP post office atm. Deposit the money into atm with either passbook or cash card. Try do the transfer via atm, if in doubt make sure to go to actual post office and ask clerk to do the first setting and help you out.
In following months you can choose the account from previous payments without enering everything again.
Based on your comments, here’s what you need to do:
1. Contact your landlord/management ASAP. Ideally it should’ve been done earlier but since you are new to Japan it doesn’t reflect too poorly on you so don’t worry about that. Contact them and explain your situation and ask them for the bank account you need to transfer the rent to.
2. Your first option as mentioned before is to withdraw money at the ATM and then go to JP Bank and make a transfer with the teller if you want to make the deadline.
3. Option 2 is to wait for instructions from your management company, who will probably adjust the rent for you and you can pay on a later date.
4. Go to JP Bank and sort out international transfers. They will help you with your bank account details so you can transfer money from your foreign bank account to JP Bank. They have a website but honestly the information on the website is confusing so I recommend getting your transfer details from in person!
Good luck!
See if there is a barcode on your rent notice. If there is, go to a conbini and ask them if you can pay this here. (Not all barcodes are customer related) If they say yes, go to the ATM and pull out the money with your US card, then go up to the counter and pay. They scan, ask you to push some buttons, and then you put the cash in the machine. Easy af. You do not necessarily get a receipt for this.
If this does not work, you need to look at the papers that came with your rental agreement to find the bank transfer information for ABLE. They should have given you information on how to pay. And if not, call the company and ask them for their bank transfer information so you can pay your rent. Then take your cash from the ATM you pulled out with your US card, and the transfer information, and go to Yuucho and ask them to help you make a transfer. They can help you through the process.
If you need to setup the Yuucho app, follow the directions for the “initial setting method” on the Japan Post website here:
https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/en/app/en_app_howto.html
This Yuucho link above also has information for anything else you need to do in the app with simple instructions. Transferring funds via the app is super easy. You NEED the Yuucho authentication app too. The links and QR for this are in the steps on this website multiple times.
Yuucho direct is just the name of their online banking service and only refers to using it on the website. This requires a bunch of annoying steps too.
Your account number for your Yuucho account is in the app if you already added your bank account to the app. Tap the menu button on the top left, tap the first option 口座情報を確認・変更, you will see your name on file, your birthdate, and then below that your account number. If you tap into this section with the little arrow on the right, you will see your account number, your current balance, the type of account, whether or not your have a bank book, your phone number on file, and your address on file.
If you need to receive money from someone else, including your US account, you need to find out your branch name and number as well. Ask the people at the location you opened your bank account for that information.
And yes, setup a Wise account. It is a lifesaver.
I never could figure it out way back when I was a student either. I used to go to my management company every month with cash and pay that way. Just make sure you get a receipt.
You have to install this additional yuucho identification app, me and few of my friends had similar issue and this was the solution
If there is a barcode on your bill then you should be able to pay it at the convenience store no?
Just take the bill to the cashier and have them read the barcode? Have you tried that?
Also how is it that you didn’t ask/make sure how to pay for your rent when you moved in/signed the contract
Don’t panic.
When your rent is late, the person in charge will start calling you.
Then will not kick you out.
On Monday, find a Japanese person you can trust (or bother) most, bring all the documents you have, and ask them what to do.
They will quickly find where the land lord’s bank account is written and tell you what to do.
Make sure to take notes.
You will probably lose some “trust points” for some week, but you will be fine.
After 1-2 years you will have a story about your life in Japan.