OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT
You will need to open a bank account at a financial institution in Japan to use the bank’s direct debit services for paying accommodation charges, utility charges, and telephone charges, etc., and for receiving payment of your salary. Please follow necessary procedures at the financial institution’s service desk such as a bank,
taking with you a personal seal, passport for identification, and your residence card. If you apply for a cash card at the same time, you will be able to use ATMs at the bank’s service areas after business hours at your convenience. The business hours of the bank’s service counters are from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on weekdays. Utility bills and telephone charges can be paid automatically by direct transfer from your bank account. Please contact the relevant service companies to apply.
Listed below are some of the banks and post offices near Tsukuba Campus.
◆ Bank (OPEN 9:00 – 15:00)
| Joyo Bank Kenkyu Gakuen-toshi Branch | TEL 029-851-2151 1-14-2 Azuma, Tsukuba |
|---|---|
| Tsukuba Bank Tsukuba Sales Department | TEL 029-851-1801 1-17 Takezono, Tsukuba |
| SMBC Tsukuba Branch | TEL 029-855-9621 5-19 Kenkyugakuen, Tsukuba |
| Mizuho Bank Tsukuba Branch | TEL 029-858-3741 1-4-1 Takezono, Tsukuba |
◆ Post Office (Japan Post Bank)
| Tsukuba Gakuen Post Office (OPEN Mon – Fri 9:00 – 19:00 *Bank Transfer – 16:00 , Sat 9:00 – 15:00) |
TEL 0570-943-402 1-13-2 Azuma, Tsukuba |
|---|---|
| Tsukuba University Oncampus Post Office (OPEN Mon – Fri 9:00 – 17:00 *Bank Transfer – 16:00) |
TEL 029-851-3010 3-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba |
*Some banks allow foreign nationals to use a signature for procedures instead of a seal. Please check beforehand with the financial institution where you wish to open a bank account.
*A Joyo Bank account is the designated bank account for international teachers and other residents in university housing who wish to pay their rent (applicable for
persons whose stay is at least 6 months) by way of account transfer. The Joyo Bank does not accept a signature for opening a bank account. If you want to open an account, you must have a personal seal.
* The Joyo Bank and Japan Post Bank have ATMs on campus.
■ What is a seal?
In Japan, people use personal seals with their names engraved on them for legal procedures and contracts, and different seals are used for different purposes. The most common seals are: jitsuin, a registered seal, and mitomein, a personal seal. A person’s jitsuin, an imprint of which is registered at the local municipal office, is used for preparing contracts, for purchasing real estate or motor vehicles, etc., and various other legal procedures. The representation of the name of a foreign national must be the same as the name that appears on the residence card. Personal seals are widely used for opening bank accounts and other similar procedures. The name on a personal seal can be engraved in katakana or letters of the alphabet.