Sending money out of Japan is straightforward. Doing it without losing an unnecessary few thousand yen each time, and without creating a problem at tax time, takes a little more thought.
What it costs, and where the cost hides
A traditional bank wire from a major Japanese bank runs roughly ¥3,000–¥6,000 in stated fees. That is not the whole cost. Two more layers sit underneath:
- Intermediary bank fees, deducted in transit by correspondent banks, which is why the amount arriving is sometimes less than the amount promised.
- The exchange rate margin — the gap between the rate you are given and the real mid-market rate. This is usually the largest cost and the least visible, because it is never itemised.
Licensed transfer services generally beat this on both counts, publishing the mid-market rate with the fee stated separately. Whichever you use, compare on the amount that arrives, not the advertised fee. It is the only number that means anything.
Identity checks and My Number
Anti-money-laundering rules mean any licensed provider will verify your identity and, for international transfers, your My Number. Expect to supply your residence card and either a My Number Card or a certificate of residence showing the number.
This is standard. Have it ready rather than discovering the requirement halfway through a first transfer you needed to send today.
The ¥1 million report
Financial institutions must report overseas transfers above ¥1 million to the tax office, in both directions. You do not file anything and you are not doing anything wrong — the institution reports, automatically.
What it means in practice is that large transfers are visible, and should match a story your records can tell. Sending significant sums to your own overseas account, or receiving them, is entirely legitimate; being unable to explain what a transfer was two years later is where difficulty starts. Keep the paperwork.
Supporting family abroad: the deduction
If you send money to support relatives living outside Japan, you may be able to claim a dependant deduction (国外扶養控除), which reduces both income tax and residence tax. The rules were tightened specifically because the deduction was being claimed loosely, so the documentation now decides whether it survives.
What you must be able to show
- Proof of relationship (親族関係書類) — birth certificate, marriage certificate, family register or equivalent, with a Japanese translation.
- Proof of remittance (送金関係書類) — certificates showing money actually sent, during that tax year, from you to that relative.
- One relative, one transfer stream. This is the rule that trips people. A single lump sum to one family member, intended to cover several, generally does not evidence support of the others. Transfer to each declared dependant separately.
Age and income conditions also apply and have been narrowed in recent years, so confirm the current tests for your situation before assuming a relative qualifies.
Practical habits worth forming
- Download the transfer certificate every time. Services do not keep them forever, and reconstructing a year of transfers later is miserable.
- Send fewer, larger transfers where a flat fee applies — but stay inside whatever pattern your deduction claim needs.
- Watch the rate, not the fee, on anything substantial. On a large transfer the margin dwarfs the fee.
- Keep names consistent. A recipient name that does not match the bank record is the commonest reason a transfer bounces, and it bounces slowly.
The phrases
- 海外送金をしたいです。 — Kaigai sōkin o shitai desu. — I would like to make an overseas transfer.
- 手数料はいくらですか。 — Tesūryō wa ikura desu ka? — How much is the fee?
- 送金証明書をもらえますか。 — Sōkin shōmeisho o moraemasu ka? — Can I have a remittance certificate?
- マイナンバーが必要ですか。 — Mai nanbā ga hitsuyō desu ka? — Do you need my My Number?
Where to confirm this
- National Tax Agency, English pages
- Our guide to the year-end adjustment, where the deduction is claimed
- Our guide to opening a bank account
Guides are dated rather than undated: last reviewed 21 August 2026. This is an organisational aid, not legal or immigration advice — always confirm anything consequential with your ward office, the Immigration Services Agency, or a qualified professional.