SWIFT/BIC codes in Japan: banks starting with P

SWIFT/BIC codes in Japan

In Japan we have 712 SWIFT/BIC codes from 586 banks. You will need such a code mainly when making payments across borders and for payments in a foreign currency.

Look for the recipient’s bank in the list and click through to see the full list of codes. Below the list you can read how codes from Japan are built, how to send money to Japan at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

International payments to Japan and the BIC

Japan is not part of the SEPA area, the European zone for uniform euro payments. International transfers to Japan usually go over the SWIFT network – which is why you need the BIC of the recipient’s bank.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a domestic account number instead of an IBAN, sometimes with an extra bank or branch code. The recipient’s bank usually has instructions for payments from abroad – follow them exactly. Before it arrives, a payment can pass through intermediary banks.

Sending JPY to Japan

The currency of Japan is the Japanese Yen (JPY). Money sent in a different currency will be converted into JPY, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. Often you pay less to send JPY straight away via a transfer service with a good rate. On larger amounts, a seemingly small difference in the rate adds up quickly.

Tracking a payment to Japan

There is no single answer for payments to Japan: some land the same day or the next, others take several business days. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays usually go out the next business day.

If the money seems delayed, the sender should contact their own bank. Save the payment confirmation until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

How reliable is this list?

Have the recipient copy the account details directly from a recent statement. When the code you were given differs from our list, stop and ask – contact the recipient or their bank.

The directory on GoldexPay draws on publicly available sources. Even so, banks merge or change codes, so information can be out of date. For any payment that matters, confirm the BIC with the recipient. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Be wary of payment requests with changed bank details, especially when they come by email. Always verify changed details by phone.

Incoming international payments in Japan

If you are waiting for a payment from another country in Japan, give the sender everything they need in one go. Share your name as registered with the bank, the IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and your address, which some banks require.

Your bank’s code appears in the list on this page. You can include the name and city of your bank because some forms have separate fields for it.

The amount you receive can be lower than what was sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. Make clear with the sender who pays which costs before the money is sent.

Banks in Japan beginning with the letter :letter

Here you see a filtered list: just institutions in Japan with a name starting with :letter. The totals on this page cover all 586 banks.

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. Use the full list for Japan if you do not know how the name is spelled.

The cheapest way to send money to Japan

An international bank payment to Japan can cost rather more than you think. There is a transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate if the money is converted.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, rather than in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate. The difference is your real cost.

Specialised transfer providers often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay lists these providers next to each other, showing the amount that reaches the recipient for the same amount sent.

What the letters in a Japan BIC mean

SWIFT/BIC codes use the same format worldwide: eight characters, sometimes followed by three more. Characters one to four stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters are the country code and the next two give the location.

In every code from Japan, letters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of Japan, which makes these codes easy to recognise. Codes with a different country code belong to another country, even if the bank name looks familiar.

The optional last three characters identify a specific branch; XXX means the head office. Choose a branch code just if the recipient’s bank asks for it; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

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 is listed with the largest number of SWIFT codes. Its main office has BOTKJPJTXXX.

The number of codes says more about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Making a payment to Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ufj, LTD., The? Go with BOTKJPJTXXX unless a specific branch code is requested.