Banks

Opening an Account

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, you are often asked to make an appointment in advance when visiting a bank to open an account.

・Bank accounts can be registered at bank branch offices on weekdays between the hours of 9:00-15:00.
・Resident Card and Student ID card are necessary to open a bank account. (You may also need to submit other certificates from school.) As the required documents may vary by bank and branch, it is recommended to contact the bank branch you plan to visit in advance.
・If you have difficulty in understanding Japanese, you may be asked to bring someone from school who understands Japanese (Tutors are also acceptable).
・For international students receiving the MEXT Scholarship, it is necessary to open a "Japan Post Bank (Yu-u Cho Ginkou)" account.
(Reference) To foreign nationals applying to open an account (Japan Post Bank) 
https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kaisetu/kat_gaikokujin.html
*Multi-lingual information regarding opening an account (PDF) at JP Bank is available.
-English https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kaisetu/pdf/kaisetu_en.pdf
-Chinese https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kaisetu/pdf/kaisetu_zh-cn.pdf
・Japanese banks (including Japan Post Banks) accounts cannot be closed from abroad. Please close your account before you leave Japan.

Support Service for Opening a Bank Account on campus

On-campus bank account opening service available in the beginning of Spring and Autumn semester on Hongo Campus.

NEW!■Bank account opening services on campus (Updated 2023/3/23)
-Date/Time/Bank: 
April 7 (Fri) 9:00-13:00 / MUFG Bank (Mitsubishi UFJ Bank)
April 17 (Mon) 9:00-13:00 / MUFG Bank (Mitsubishi UFJ Bank)
-Place: Go Global Center (1F, Faculty of Science Bldg. 1 [East], Hongo Campus)
-Map: Bldg. #99 (green square) https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/content/400020145.pdf
-Pre-registration (required) and details: Here
 *Pre-registration will be closed as soon as the number of applicants reaches the capacity.
-Inquiries: International Support Group < rsupport.adm[at-mark]gs.mail.u-tokyo.ac.jp >

■For those who wish to apply for opening an SMBC bank account 
You can open an SMBC bank account according to either 1 or 2 below. Please be sure to read the details.
1. Visit SMBC Koishikawa Branch (Pre-registration required)
2. Application by post
-Details: Here

【銀行口座開設に関する教職員向け情報/Information for faculty/staff members on opening a bank account】（​UTokyo Accountが必要です）
こちら→​銀行口座開設支援サービス​（UTokyo Portal > 便利帳）

Credit Cards

To have a credit card in Japan, you need to obtain the approval from a credit card company. Please note that the eligibility for credit cards vary from company-to-company. International students often encounter issues when they apply for credit cards just after arriving in Japan, so we advise you to bring your credit card from your country of residence.
(Reference) University Co-op group Credit Card https://www.smbc-card.com/nyukai/card/lp/nl_univcoop.jsp (in Japanese)