SWIFT/BIC codes in Japan: banks starting with K

Japan: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

For Japan we have 712 SWIFT/BIC codes from 586 financial institutions. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mostly when making international transfers and for payments in a foreign currency.

Search for the bank you need below and open its page to see all codes we have and the details a transfer needs. The rest of this page covers how the codes work, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

Sending money to Japan for less

The price of a transfer to Japan is made up of several parts – not only the fee you see. On top of a fixed fee, intermediary banks can deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a less favourable rate than the actual market rate.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the biggest cost item. Check the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialised transfer providers often use a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares what recipients in Japan receive with different services.

Paying a bank in Japan from abroad

Japan is outside the SEPA area. International transfers to Japan normally travel through the SWIFT network.

Not every country uses IBAN numbers; in that case the local account number is used instead. The receiving bank usually has instructions for payments from abroad. International transfers sometimes go via one or more intermediary banks and fees can be taken along the way.

Filter: banks in Japan with :letter

This page only shows the banks in Japan beginning with :letter in alphabetical order. The totals mentioned above always cover all banks in Japan, not just this letter.

Many institutions are listed under their official name rather than the name on their app or website, so the letter can differ from what you expect. The full overview for Japan is available if you cannot find the bank here.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in Japan

For a transfer from abroad into a Japan account, the sender needs more than the SWIFT code. In practice that means: your full name as your bank knows it, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and sometimes your postal address.

Look up your bank in the list above – your bank statement is the final word. Certain banks also want the name and address of your bank, so keep it at hand.

What lands in your account can be less than what was sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and if the money is converted, an exchange rate margin comes on top. Agree with the sender who covers the fees before the money is sent.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Japan

Ask the recipient to send you the account details directly from a recent statement. A wrong code may lead to delays, a returned payment or additional charges – compare it with the code in our list.

This list is based on public sources that we update periodically. Banks reorganise, close branches and change codes – a directory can be a step behind. Treat our data as a starting point: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Be wary of invoices containing a new account, especially when they come by email. Always confirm changed details by phone, using a number you already had.

The structure of a Japan SWIFT/BIC code

Every SWIFT/BIC code consists of 8 or 11 characters in a fixed order. The first four letters identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and the next two give the location.

You can recognise a bank code from Japan from the fifth and sixth characters: they always show the ISO country code of Japan. Codes with a different country code come from a bank abroad, even if the bank name looks familiar.

The optional last three characters identify a specific branch; XXX is used for the head office. For most transfers the head office code is fine.

Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The and its SWIFT codes

Of the 586 banks we list for Japan, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The has the largest number of codes. The head office of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The uses BOTKJPJTXXX; that is usually the right code for a transfer.

The number of codes tells you something about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Unless a branch code is given, the head office code BOTKJPJTXXX works for transfers to this bank.

Paying in JPY: what conversion costs you

The currency in Japan is the Japanese Yen (JPY). If you send another currency, it has to be converted somewhere along the way.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on the final amount, since every bank sets its own rate. In many cases it is cheaper to send JPY directly through a transfer service that converts near the mid-market rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. With bigger transfers, a seemingly small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

How long does a transfer to Japan take?

There is no fixed answer for payments to Japan: many land the same day or the next while others need several business days. Payments made late in the day or on weekends and holidays usually go out a business day later.

If a transfer seems delayed, ask the sender to contact the sending bank; only the sending side can start an official trace. Keep the payment confirmation; a bank needs it to start a trace.