Money
Information about taxes, money transfers, and international ATMs
Taxes
We are not tax experts. You should verify all information that you get from this website to make sure that it is accurate and updated. We take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information contained herein.
Your tax situation will depend on your nationality, your occupation (CIR or ALT), how long you have stayed in Japan, and when you started the JET Programme. Please choose a topic from below for more details.
Please click on a topic:
Money Transfers
Transferring Money Home
There are several different ways to transfer money home. Go Remit and Wise are probably the safest, quickest, and cheapest ways to do it.
Go Remit is formerly known as Go Lloyds and is now owned by Shinsei Bank. Before you are able to use Go Remit, you must first sign up for a Go Remit account. Please go to this link to sign up for an account. Once you have setup an account, you are able to go to your local bank's ATM and do a transfer (furikomi 振込) to an account designated by Shinsei Bank (Go Remit will take care of the rest). Total fees for using Go Remit will be approximately 2000 yen (Go Remit fee), plus your local bank's furikomi fees, plus any fees your overseas bank charges to receive the funds. Please go to this link for more details.
Other ALTs have also had success using Wise, formerly known as TransferWise, to remit money. The remittance process is similar to Go Remit, but instead of charging a flat fee, they charge 0.75% of the amount that is converted + 89 yen fixed fee. This can potentially be a cheaper way to send money back to your home country if you are sending less than 350,000 yen. It is also possible to hold money in a Wise account before transferring it.
You are also able to transfer money from JP (Japan Post) Bank to an overseas account.
Before applying for remittance, you must start an application online and complete the procedure at a JP Bank or post office handling international remittance services.
Once you have completed the online paperwork, go to the counter and ask to do a kokusai sokin 国際送金 (international remittance). Total fees will be about 7500 yen (JP Bank fee), plus any fees your bank charges to receive the funds. Please go to this link for more details.
International ATM Service
Most ATMs in Japan do not take credit cards that were issued outside of Japan, but 7 Eleven and JP Bank (Japan Post) ATMs are an exception! Both of them take the following cards: VISA, PLUS, Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus, American Express, Diners Club, JCB, Union Pay, and Discover. Both 7 Eleven and JP Bank have a withdrawal limit of 200,000 Yen.
For more information or to use the 7 Eleven Bank ATM locator please visit click here.
For more information regarding JP Bank's international ATM service, please click here.
Transferring Money Home
There are several different ways to transfer money home. Go Remit and Wise are probably the safest, quickest, and cheapest ways to do it.
Go Remit is formerly known as Go Lloyds and is now owned by Shinsei Bank. Before you are able to use Go Remit, you must first sign up for a Go Remit account. Please go to this link to sign up for an account. Once you have setup an account, you are able to go to your local bank's ATM and do a transfer (furikomi 振込) to an account designated by Shinsei Bank (Go Remit will take care of the rest). Total fees for using Go Remit will be approximately 2000 yen (Go Remit fee), plus your local bank's furikomi fees, plus any fees your overseas bank charges to receive the funds. Please go to this link for more details.
Other ALTs have also had success using Wise, formerly known as TransferWise, to remit money. The remittance process is similar to Go Remit, but instead of charging a flat fee, they charge 0.75% of the amount that is converted + 89 yen fixed fee. This can potentially be a cheaper way to send money back to your home country if you are sending less than 350,000 yen. It is also possible to hold money in a Wise account before transferring it.
You are also able to transfer money from JP (Japan Post) Bank to an overseas account.
Before applying for remittance, you must start an application online and complete the procedure at a JP Bank or post office handling international remittance services.
Once you have completed the online paperwork, go to the counter and ask to do a kokusai sokin 国際送金 (international remittance). Total fees will be about 7500 yen (JP Bank fee), plus any fees your bank charges to receive the funds. Please go to this link for more details.
International ATM Service
Most ATMs in Japan do not take credit cards that were issued outside of Japan, but 7 Eleven and JP Bank (Japan Post) ATMs are an exception! Both of them take the following cards: VISA, PLUS, Mastercard, Maestro, Cirrus, American Express, Diners Club, JCB, Union Pay, and Discover. Both 7 Eleven and JP Bank have a withdrawal limit of 200,000 Yen.
For more information or to use the 7 Eleven Bank ATM locator please visit click here.
For more information regarding JP Bank's international ATM service, please click here.
