SWIFT/BIC codes in Japan: banks starting with M

Japan: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

For Japan our database holds 712 SWIFT/BIC codes from 586 financial institutions. A BIC shows the banks handling a transfer which institution should receive an international payment.

Each bank is listed with its own page showing its main code and, where available, codes for branches and departments. Below the list you can read how a code from Japan is put together, how to send money there at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

Why a transfer to Japan needs a SWIFT code

For Japan you almost always need the BIC, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without it, most banks cannot send the payment.

Not every country uses the IBAN; in that case the local account number is used instead. Ask the recipient which details their bank requires for incoming international payments. SWIFT payments sometimes go via correspondent banks.

Banks in Japan starting with :letter

This filter limits the list down to banks from Japan that begin with :letter, so you can find a bank faster. The counts in the introduction still cover all banks in Japan.

Many institutions appear under their legal name rather than the name on their app or website, so the letter can differ from what you expect. Use the full list for Japan when you do not know the exact name.

Check the code before you pay

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the bank details provided by the recipient. If the code you have differs from the code listed here, stop and ask.

We gather SWIFT/BIC codes using public sources and update our list regularly. Even so, banks merge or change codes and our data may lag behind. Treat our data as a starting point: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and has no link to the banks in this list.

Be wary of invoices containing a new account, especially when they come by email. Before paying, verify changed details through a separate channel.

The cheapest way to send money to Japan

When you transfer money to Japan via your bank, the fee you see is rarely all of what you pay. There is a transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks and, most importantly, the exchange rate markup if the money is converted.

The real cost is often in the rate – the bank builds a margin into its rate. Compare the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate, the midpoint you see on financial news sites. The difference is your real cost.

For a lot of currency pairs, a transfer service is less expensive than a traditional bank transfer. On GoldexPay you can compare the amount that arrives in Japan across providers, so you can pick the cheapest route.

What a sender needs to pay you in Japan

For a transfer from abroad into a Japan account, the sender needs more than the SWIFT code. Share your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address.

Find your bank in the list above to check its code – your bank statement is the final word. It helps to include your bank’s name and city, since some payment forms ask for it.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers vary per bank; check the price list of your bank. On invoices, agree how the fees are split, so nobody is left short.

How long does a transfer to Japan take?

How fast a payment reaches Japan depends on several factors: the currency, how many intermediary banks are involved, daily processing deadlines and differences in time zone. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays usually go out the next business day.

If a transfer is delayed, the sender should contact their own bank and ask for the status or the UETR. Money transfer services often provide a status in their app so you can follow the payment.

How SWIFT codes from Japan are built

Bank identifier codes follow the same format worldwide: 8 characters. First comes four letters for the bank, then two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

You can spot a bank code from Japan by the fifth and sixth characters: they always show the ISO country code of Japan. If the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank somewhere else.

An 11-character code ends in a branch code, where XXX means the head office. Choose a branch code only if the recipient’s bank asks for it.

The Japanese Yen (JPY) and conversion costs

Bank accounts in Japan are typically held in JPY, the local currency. If you send money in a different currency, it has to be converted somewhere along the way: by your bank, an intermediary or the receiving bank.

Who converts the payment makes a difference. Check what JPY the recipient gets via different providers; the difference between options can be larger than you expect. On larger amounts, even a small gap in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Which bank in Japan has the most codes?

Among the 586 institutions we list, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The holds the most SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Japan. Its main office uses BOTKJPJTXXX.

Many codes often means separate codes for branches, departments or services. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, BOTKJPJTXXX is fine for a payment to Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The.