Job Discussion Forums

[bluetortilla]

Can I use my Visa debit card issued by my US bank in Japan? I don't have a credit card.
Can I use a prepaid credit card (issued in the US) in Japan? Can I buy a prepaid credit card in Japan?
Do Japanese banks issue debit cards these days?
Thanks.

[Lyrajean]

Many US debit cards with VISA/MC logos work at the Post Office ATMs under 'visitor withdrawl' you should consult your bank about limits while you withdraw overseas. My Credit Union from back home only lets me take out about 4man a day at once and a total of about 10man per week..

Most J-bank cards only work at their bank ATM locations. I'm here in Okinawa and we only have our local banks none of the large national or overseas banks here, so maybe things are loosening up on the mianland, I dunno...

[cornishmuppet]

Bring cash if you like but separate it up in case something gets lost. Its very unlikely anyone will pickpocket or rob you. I'm sure its happened, but Japan doesn't have anything like the petty crime problems of other Western countries.

Unless you're talking about bicycles or umbrellas of course....

[wayne432]

Most debit cards (as well as most JP banks) work at 7-11 too.
Other convenience stores are hit or miss by bank (they usually list which are accepted.

[gwynnie86]

I was going to ask a similar question.
1) Will my UK Visa Debit card work in Japan? (Guessing it's the same answer as a US one!)
2) Once I have a Japanese bank account set up, how easy will it be for me to transfer money over from my HSBC account?

[seklarwia]

UK Visa debit cards work in many ATMs, but you won't be able to swipe or Chip'n'Pin pay for everything here like we are used to doing in the UK.

You need to contact HSBC for two things:

1. To check you international daily withdrawl limit, which may be different to your regular limit.

2. Tell them before hand that you are coming to Japan and to expect foreign transactions for at least a year, or they will likely freeze your cards to prevent fraud.

I did the 2nd and Nationwide still froze my card for 24hrs when I used my card on Amazon.co.jp which was... inconvenient. But luckily I could make free calls to UK landlines at the time and Nationwide has a (01***) area code landline number for customers calling internationally.

You are likely going to have an account with Japan Post when you get here. Go and ask HSBC about international transfers. In theory, Nationwide think it shouldn't be difficult, but I've never tried. However, Natwest used to wind me up by saying I had to do certain international transactions IN PERSON! (An utter nuisance when you are going to uni in Austria at the time... Just as well that I had a sibling who looked enough like me that she could walk in with my passport and do them for me)

[slodziak]

[Apsara]

I thought that Lloyd's transfers only go from Japan to overseas, not the other way around. Rather than trying to transfer the money here, which will most likely be expensive/problematic, you are probably better off just withdrawing it from ATMs and then depositing it into your account here.

People here tend to carry more cash around with them than in our home countries, and the chances of being mugged are extremely low, so don't worry about having to have the cash on you for a while.

[Mr_Monkey]

[seklarwia]

[Mr_Monkey]

Ah. I see.

[seklarwia]

To Gwynnie:

As Aspara mentioned, I simple used an ATM to withdraw cash from the UK, which is why I've never tried a bank transfer. But Nationwide used to not charge anything for international withdrawls and purchases (in a foreign currency) which is why they became so popular with people who were abroad a lot.

Since May of last year though, like many other companies, Natiowide had to undergo cost cutting. They still don't charge for international withdrawls and transactions but now we must pay the Visa exchange fee of 1% that Nationwide had been absorbing before.
Despite this, they still have the cheapest bank card to use internationally.

Lloyds TSB were one of the most expensive when I last checked. They charged 5% or �5 (which ever works out more) per withdrawl/transaction.

I think HSBC was around the average of 2.5%. You should probably check as many banks have increased their service charges to try and stay afloat. But if you are trying to move more than about �500, using your internet bank account (if they allow it) to transfer money from the UK will work out cheaper than withdrawing since HSBC have an offer on international tranfers.

But something has just occurred to me:
You aren't planning to try and transfer the majority of your start up funds that way, are you?
If so, you can't. You'll likely need to pay your apartment fees at training, but you won't be able to open an account until after you arrive at your placement and register for your ARC.

[Rezz]

I'm in the same situation. I'll be moving to Japan in 3 or 4 weeks and planning on taking my Nationwide card with me. I'll probably take about �400 in Yen and the rest in my nationwide account (fingers crossed I can find somewhere to withdraw money from it).

[seklarwia]

[Rezz]

Thanks for the heads up seklarwia Nationwide were great with me when I was in the USA for 3 months. I'll take my latest statement with me just in case (although I do plan on notifying them, for however much good that will do!).

Is there much point bringing travellers cheques?