Before you start

A valid residence card (zairyū card) with your current Tokyo address printed on the back
A registered address in Japan (move-in registered at your ward office, which gives you the jūminhyō)
A Japanese mobile phone number for SMS verification and online banking
Your My Number on hand, as it is requested for tax and any international remittance

Step-by-step

1
Register your address at the ward office first
Before any bank will deal with you, register your move-in at your local ward office within 14 days of moving. This puts your Tokyo address on your residence card and lets you obtain a jūminhyō (certificate of residence) and your My Number notification, both of which banks may ask for.
In personWho: You, at your city/ward office (kuyakusho)Same day; allow 1-2 hours of queueingFree; jūminhyō copy approx. ¥300
2
Pick a foreigner-friendly bank for your first account
If you have been in Japan under 6 months, start with Japan Post Bank (Yūcho) or SBI Shinsei Bank, both of which typically accept residents from around 3 months. Yūcho has the largest branch/ATM network and multilingual application support; SBI Shinsei offers the whole process and online banking in English. Avoid MUFG/SMBC/Mizuho as your first account if you are newly arrived.
OnlineWho: YouDecision onlyNo account-opening fee; no monthly fee at Yūcho, SBI Shinsei and Rakuten
3
Apply, in person or via app
At Japan Post Bank you can walk into any post office counter with your residence card (multilingual forms available) or use the Yūcho app, which reads your residence card's IC chip by NFC. SBI Shinsei and Rakuten are app/online-based with English screens. A hanko (personal seal) is increasingly optional at these banks; a signature is accepted. Make a small initial deposit.
Mobile appWho: YouIn person: 30-60 min; online/app: 1-2 weeks for approvalFree
4
Receive your cash card and activate online banking
Your cash card (and passbook, if you chose one) is mailed by registered post to your registered address, typically within 1-2 weeks; counter applicants often get a passbook the same day. Set up the app banking login. Note that full international remittance usually requires your My Number, and some banks restrict outward overseas transfers until you pass the 6-month resident mark.
Mobile appWho: You1-2 weeks for the card to arrive by postFree; overseas transfer fees apply later (~¥2,000-7,500 per transfer)

Documents you’ll need

Residence card (zairyū card) showing your current Tokyo address
Passport (as a secondary ID, often requested)
Japanese mobile phone number (for SMS/identity verification)
My Number notification or card (requested for tax; required to enable international remittance)

Things most newcomers don’t know

Open at Japan Post Bank or SBI Shinsei first, not a megabank.

The megabanks (MUFG, SMBC, Mizuho) generally apply a 6-month residency rule to newcomers, while Yūcho and SBI Shinsei typically accept you from around 3 months. Starting foreigner-friendly gets you a working account in week one instead of month seven.

Source: Japan Living Life / Mizuho notice

The hanko (personal seal) is now largely optional for foreigner-friendly and online banks, which accept a signature.

Many guides still say you must buy a seal on arrival; in practice you can skip it for Yūcho, SBI Shinsei, Rakuten and Prestia. The big exception is MUFG, whose form still mandates a hanko.

Source: MUFG official / Tokyo Cheapo

Your My Number is effectively required to switch on international remittance — and some banks lock overseas transfers for your first 6 months.

People open an account fine, then discover they can't wire money home for months. If sending money abroad matters, factor in the My Number step and the 6-month gate from day one.

Source: Japan Living Life

Sony Bank, long a top English-friendly pick, stopped accepting new English-language applications as of June 2025.

Older expat guides still rank Sony Bank #1 for foreigners; following that today leads to a dead end unless you read Japanese. SBI Shinsei is the current best English-end-to-end option.

Source: Japan Living Life / Expat Japan

Common mistakes to avoid

Trying to open at MUFG, SMBC or Mizuho within your first 6 months — they generally require ~6 months of residency (or proof of local employment) and may turn newcomers away.
Applying before registering your address at the ward office — without a Tokyo address on your residence card and a jūminhyō, the application stalls.
Assuming everything is in English — Yūcho, SBI Shinsei and Rakuten have English forms, but legacy megabank branches are Japanese-only.
Underestimating how cash-first Japan still is — card and contactless are uneven, and rent/utilities may expect bank transfer or auto-debit, so carry cash early on.