---
title: "Personal bank account in Japan — general overview"
url: https://memocore.ai/memos/6a5f62a963d783ad6870933b
project: "Doing Business in Japan"
tags: "japan-business, bank-account"
updated_at: "2026-07-21T12:14:33.587Z"
---

# Personal bank account in Japan — general overview

Opening a personal bank account in Japan as a foreigner usually requires a sufficient remaining validity period on the residence status (zairyu) — roughly 3-6 months before expiry as a rule of thumb; some banks, such as Sony Bank, apply the opposite rule and refuse applicants if less than six months have passed since the zairyu was issued. Banks differ significantly in how foreigner-friendly they are, in the grace period allowed once a visa lapses, in SWIFT support, and in language requirements. See: Personal bank account — bank-by-bank overview. See: Personal account practicalities (name mismatches, zairyu renewal, blocking, brokerage, credit cards).