SWIFT/BIC codes in Japan: banks starting with A

Japan: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

In Japan our database holds 712 SWIFT/BIC codes. A SWIFT code shows the banks handling a transfer exactly which bank is meant to get an international payment.

Pick the bank below to view the head office code and its other codes, plus practical notes for sending and receiving money. The sections below explain how the codes work, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

When does money sent to Japan arrive?

How quickly money arrives in Japan is determined by several factors: the currency, the number of banks in between, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Bank holidays in Japan or in the sending country can add extra days.

If the money is delayed, the sender should contact their own bank; only the sending side can start an official trace. Keep the payment confirmation until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

The structure of a Japan SWIFT/BIC code

Every SWIFT/BIC code consists of 8 or 11 characters. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

Whatever the bank, every code from Japan have the same country code in positions five and six: the ISO code of the country. If those two letters do not match Japan, the code belongs to a bank in another country, so check again.

The optional last three characters identify a branch or department; XXX is used for the head office. Choose a branch code only when the recipient’s bank asks for it.

The cheapest way to send money to Japan

If you send money to Japan via a regular bank, the stated fee is rarely all of the cost. You pay the transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the exchange rate markup when currencies differ.

The real cost is often in the rate, rather than in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. An easy check: put the offered rate against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For a lot of routes, a specialist provider is cheaper than a traditional bank transfer. Before your next transfer to Japan, take a minute comparing what arrives via GoldexPay.

Incoming international payments in Japan

When you are waiting for a payment from another country in Japan, send the payer everything they need in one go. In practice that means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and, often, your postal address.

Your bank’s code appears in our list, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. Some sending banks may also want the name and address of your bank; it does no harm to include it.

Expect that the amount credited is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin applies. On invoices, state how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

Most SWIFT codes in Japan: Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The tops our list for Japan when it comes to the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. The head office uses BOTKJPJTXXX, which is the code to use when no branch is specified.

The number of codes tells you something about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Paying someone at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The? Go with BOTKJPJTXXX unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

SWIFT transfers to Japan

Japan is not part of the SEPA area, so European euro rules do not apply. Payments from abroad usually travel through the SWIFT network – which is why you need the BIC of the recipient’s bank.

In some countries, accounts are identified by a local account number rather than an IBAN. Ask the recipient which details their bank requires for incoming international payments – many banks give clear instructions for this. Before it arrives, a payment can pass through correspondent banks that charge for their part.

Filter: banks in Japan with :letter

The letter filter limits the list to banks in Japan starting with :letter, so you can find a bank faster. The counts in the introduction always cover the whole country.

Many institutions appear under their official name, so the letter can differ from what you expect. Use the full list for Japan when you do not know how the name is spelled.

About our data and how to check a code

Have the recipient copy their bank details straight from a recent statement. A wrong code may lead to delays, a payment being sent back or extra fees.

We collect bank codes from publicly available data and update them from time to time. Institutions merge, change names and retire codes. For a payment of any size, check the code with the recipient. We are an independent comparison site for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Scammers often send payment requests with new bank details. Before paying, verify changed details through a separate channel on a number you know.

Japan and the Japanese Yen

The local currency of Japan is the Japanese Yen (JPY). If you send another currency, it gets converted at some point.

Who converts the money matters, because each party uses its own rate. Compare how much JPY arrives with several providers. Rates for JPY move all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.