About the Japan Post Bank account

About Bank Accounts and Mobile Phones for International Students

For international students, bank accounts and mobile phone contracts are closely linked. When applying to universities or vocational schools, students are often asked to provide a “copy of their bankbook” to verify their part-time work history. The bankbook needs to be regularly updated, and the most recent transaction history must be submitted. Recently, however, paper bankbooks are becoming less common, with “online bankbooks” (Web passbooks) becoming the standard.

Challenges with Online Bankbooks

To use an online bankbook, students need the email address and password they registered with when opening the account. The challenge here is that international students often don’t have a Japanese mobile phone when they first arrive in Japan. While a mobile phone contract requires a bank account, opening a bank account requires a contact phone number. Initially, students must use their school’s landline as the contact number. After receiving their cash card, they must then update the phone number at an ATM.

Linking Mobile Phones and Bank Accounts

Once the cash card is delivered, students can activate their bank accounts by setting a PIN (Personal Identification Number). If they are using an online bankbook, they must install the bank’s app and log in with their registered email and password. However, to log in, they must receive a verification code via SMS or voice message. If they haven’t updated their phone number from the school’s landline to their own mobile number, they won’t be able to receive the verification code, making login impossible.

Occasionally, the school’s phone will receive automated voice messages with verification codes, but the school staff cannot determine which student is trying to log in. In such cases, the calls are simply disconnected. To avoid this issue, students should update their phone number as soon as possible.

Recommended Procedure

Here is the recommended process for managing bank accounts:

1. If you have a paper bankbook
   If you opened your account at a bank branch and received a paper bankbook, you can simply submit a copy of it when required.
2. If you are using an online bankbook
   After receiving your cash card, update your phone number at an ATM. Then, use the bank’s mobile app to receive the verification code via SMS, log in, and take screenshots of your transaction history to submit.

Challenges Faced by International Students and Support Available

Because mobile phone contracts typically come after the bank account is opened, international students often face many steps in this process. For those who are just starting to learn Japanese, these procedures can be particularly burdensome. Japan’s procedures are stringent, so students need to prepare and plan ahead.

At our Japanese language school, we assist students with opening bank accounts and preparing documents for mobile phone contracts. Senior students often help new students with tasks such as operating ATMs. These challenges can only be overcome through cooperation between schools, teachers, senior students, and new students alike.

Future Considerations

In the past, some viewed interacting with bank tellers as an opportunity to practice Japanese. However, with reservation systems, limits on in-person visits, and the growing shift toward online banking, it’s increasingly important for international students to prepare and strategize for these processes in advance.

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