SWIFT/BIC codes in Japan: banks starting with N

Finding a SWIFT code in Japan

In Japan we have 712 SWIFT/BIC codes. You need such a code mainly when making payments across borders and for payments in a foreign currency.

Pick a bank below to view the head office code and its other codes. The rest of this page covers how the codes work, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

Paying in JPY: what conversion costs you

Bank accounts in Japan are usually held in JPY, the local currency. Money sent in a different currency will be exchanged into JPY before it reaches the account, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives. In many cases it is cheaper if you send JPY straight away through a provider that converts near the mid-market rate so the receiving bank does not need to convert again. Exchange rates move all the time.

Receiving money in Japan from abroad

To receive an international payment in Japan, the person paying you needs not just the BIC. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and usually your postal address.

Find the bank in the list on this page and compare the code with your own bank details, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. Certain banks also ask for the name and address of your bank; it does no harm to include it.

The amount you receive can be less than the amount sent. Fees for incoming transfers vary per bank; check the price list of your bank. For business payments, agree how the fees are split, so nobody is left short.

Verifying a SWIFT code from Japan

Have the recipient copy their bank details straight from a recent statement. When the code you were given does not match the code listed here, do not guess – contact the recipient or their bank.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is compiled from publicly available sources and is updated regularly. Still, banks merge or change codes and our data may lag behind. Before a payment of any size, check the code with the recipient. GoldexPay is not a bank and has no link to the banks in this list.

Be wary of payment requests with a new account. A valid BIC tells you nothing about whether a request is genuine.

Filter: banks in Japan with :letter

Here you see a selection: only institutions in Japan with a name starting with :letter. The figures for Japan mentioned here cover every bank we list and not only this letter.

Some banks appear under their official name, which may start with words like Bank or Banco, so the letter can differ from what you expect. The full overview for Japan is one click away if you cannot find the bank here.

How SWIFT codes from Japan are built

SWIFT/BIC codes follow the same format worldwide: 8 characters. Characters one to four identify the bank, characters five and six form the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

No matter which bank, every code from Japan have the same fifth and sixth letters, namely the ISO code of Japan. Codes with other letters in that position belong to another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

The long version ends in three characters for a branch, where XXX means the head office. In most cases the head office code is fine, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Paying a bank in Japan from abroad

To pay into Japan you usually need the BIC, because the country is outside the SEPA area. Without it, most banks will not process the transfer at all.

In some countries, accounts are identified by a domestic account number instead of an IBAN, sometimes with an extra bank or branch code. Check with the recipient which details their bank requires for payments from abroad – many banks give clear instructions for this. SWIFT payments sometimes go via correspondent banks.

Transfer times to Japan

How quickly money reaches Japan is determined by a few things: which currency you send, the number of banks in between, daily processing deadlines and time zones. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before weekends and holidays often start the next business day.

If a transfer seems delayed, the sender should contact the sending bank and ask for the status or the UETR – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Keep the payment confirmation; a bank needs it to start a trace.

The largest SWIFT network in Japan: Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The

Among the 586 institutions we list, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The holds the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes of all banks in Japan. The head office of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The has BOTKJPJTXXX and that code covers most payments.

Practice differs in how many codes they register. Unless the recipient asks for a branch, the head office code BOTKJPJTXXX works for a payment to Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The.

Bank or transfer service for Japan?

A bank transfer to Japan often costs more than you think. You pay the transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks and, above all, the exchange rate markup.

The real cost is often in the rate – the bank builds a margin into its rate. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites; the gap is what conversion costs you.

Specialist money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay lists these providers side by side, showing what actually arrives in Japan before you commit.