Payments From Work

[crispawareness]

Do JET participants typically set up Japanese bank accounts, or is it easy these days for people to make deposits directly into foreign bank accounts? I am American, if this makes a difference.

[Cliodhna]

You'll get a Japanese bank account. I believe which bank will depend on what's most common in your area or what your prefecture/school prefers you to have.

[Mark_KyotoPA]

I think I might still have mybank account for when I was over there last year. Wonder if I can use it.

I'm keen to use it, just because somehow I managed to set up a bank account in Japanese on my own, and I want to hold on to that.

[AVN]

I think I might still have mybank account for when I was over there last year. Wonder if I can use it.

I'm keen to use it, just because somehow I managed to set up a bank account in Japanese on my own, and I want to hold on to that.

If it's JP bank do it!! If it's a smaller/local bank don't.
If it's JP you should have no problem as long as you tell them ASAP.

[Mark_KyotoPA]

Nahh, it was a Shinsei account, that I just never bothered to close. For this exact reason. I thought I might be able to use it.

I think there must still be about 40 yen or something in there.

[AVN]

Nahh, it was a Shinsei account, that I just never bothered to close. For this exact reason. I thought I might be able to use it.

I think there must still be about 40 yen or something in there.

The thing is if you have a non-local account you'll always get charged the fee and find some banking functions harder as you may or may not have a branch near you, sorry don't know how common that bank is around Japan, outside of Tokyo. I mean you can probably get service at local conbini but that involves a fee so it's not ideal.

[Cliodhna]

I think I might still have mybank account for when I was over there last year. Wonder if I can use it.

I'm keen to use it, just because somehow I managed to set up a bank account in Japanese on my own, and I want to hold on to that.

I'm in the same situation, as I still have my SMBC account (and it's still functional!), but I don't think the prefecture I'm going to is serviced by them so I'll probably have to get a more local bank account, haha.

[DjinnWired]

I wanted to use a post office account when I arrived, but wasn't allowed. We have to use the bank preferred by our employer. I've heard that this is common in Japan (but is totally NOT cronyism or nepotism of course) and several of my friends have had to open new accounts with a different bank when they changed jobs. It is frustrating having to use a local bank with high fees that I can't easily access outside the prefecture when I have an account from a completely fee-free, nation wide bank. But such is the ALT life

[AVN]

I wanted to use a post office account when I arrived, but wasn't allowed. We have to use the bank preferred by our employer. I've heard that this is common in Japan (but is totally NOT cronyism or nepotism of course) and several of my friends have had to open new accounts with a different bank when they changed jobs. It is frustrating having to use a local bank with high fees that I can't easily access outside the prefecture when I have an account from a completely fee-free, nation wide bank. But such is the ALT life

Well ESID, my advice is get in touch with your CO ASAP. As soon as I had a way to contact them I explained that I had a JP bank account already set up and they had no issues with me using it. I just gave them the info to set up payment early before they had done anything towards an account with the local bank.

[crispawareness]

thanks for the help!

[Siyris]

I wanted to use a post office account when I arrived, but wasn't allowed. We have to use the bank preferred by our employer. I've heard that this is common in Japan (but is totally NOT cronyism or nepotism of course) and several of my friends have had to open new accounts with a different bank when they changed jobs. It is frustrating having to use a local bank with high fees that I can't easily access outside the prefecture when I have an account from a completely fee-free, nation wide bank. But such is the ALT life

Why don't you open a second account with the post office? There are no fees associated with it and it's easy (and free) to transfer money between whatever bank your direct deposit goes into, into a post office account.

[AVN]

I wanted to use a post office account when I arrived, but wasn't allowed. We have to use the bank preferred by our employer. I've heard that this is common in Japan (but is totally NOT cronyism or nepotism of course) and several of my friends have had to open new accounts with a different bank when they changed jobs. It is frustrating having to use a local bank with high fees that I can't easily access outside the prefecture when I have an account from a completely fee-free, nation wide bank. But such is the ALT life

Why don't you open a second account with the post office? There are no fees associated with it and it's easy (and free) to transfer money between whatever bank your direct deposit goes into, into a post office account.

Yeah a few of my friends have ended up doing that.

[Musashi]

I wanted to use a post office account when I arrived, but wasn't allowed. We have to use the bank preferred by our employer. I've heard that this is common in Japan (but is totally NOT cronyism or nepotism of course) and several of my friends have had to open new accounts with a different bank when they changed jobs. It is frustrating having to use a local bank with high fees that I can't easily access outside the prefecture when I have an account from a completely fee-free, nation wide bank. But such is the ALT life

Haha, that sums it up perfectly. :s

[Patryn]

Definitely no to foreign accounts.

You typically set up your bank account in the first week (if not the first day) you get to your prefecture. As others have said, they'll probably have a preferred local bank that they'll try and set you up with.

I'd suggest getting a Japan Post account because it's available nationwide and no fees for using JP ATMs!
Ask the question. The worse they can say is no and then set you up with the standard local account.

I was able to get just a JP account without any trouble and they deposit directly to my account, and all is well. ^_^

[crispawareness]

I've heard others speak highly of USAA accounts....and from what others have been saying it seems that you don't need to be affiliated with the military to open an account with them. Opinions on this?