NISA: Nippon Individual Saving Accounts

Warm up your engines, eager non-instutional investors, because a new type of tax free trust account is coming to town. That's right, I am talking about the much hyped NISA or Nippon Individual Saving Account (shogaku toshi hi-kazei seido 少額投資非課税制度) that is starting up next year. If you are investing in the future (and you should be!), then this new system is a good opprotunity to get your foot in the investment door. Let's take a look...

Shinsei Bank: More Free Convenience Store ATMs

More good news for lovers of Shinsei Bank, one of the few personal banking options in Japan that provides services in English and believes in 24-hour ATM access:

Shinsei bank card holders will now not only be able to deposit and withdraw cash at all Shinsei, Yucho Bank, and 7-11 ATMs across the country, but also at Lawson, Family Mart, and Daily Yamazaki ATMs. (As well as associated ATMs in a few other regional convenience store chains). In other words, Shinsei's already fairly convenient network of ATMs just got even better.

The Japanese Guarantor

Japan is big in the world of social networking. I don't mean Facebook or LINE or whatever else is popular for showing your friends how many friends you have. I mean, in order to get things done in Japan (just like elsewhere), it helps a lot to "know a guy" or to have some connection.

Examples? In all the job interviews I've passed here, the interviewers at some point dropped the phrase, 何か縁があるようですね。 "Oh, you went to that university? We're invested in a research center there." "Oh, you play concert piano? We're affiliated with a conservatory." "Oh, you taught at that school? My daughter's a graduate." Who your family is, where you went to school, and who you work for are all a big deal, and being able to say, "I was referred to you by such-and-such," can open doors that may have otherwise stuck fast. (Interestingly, this is the same country in which references are often unasked for in job applications.)



But perhaps the biggest examples of this reference culture in Japan is the guarantor.

Moving: Paying Rent on a Japanese Apartment

This post continues my chronicle of moving to a new apartment in Japan. Last post we started looking at the contract and other documents you sign before you move in. Today's post covers two more important notices I got from my agency at this stage.

Week 3, Tuesday:
So I've looked at and inkan stamped the two biggies: ① The Contract, and ② The 重要事項説明書. What remains to be clarified is through what means I'll be paying for this apartment month-to-month and the bill from the agency that must be settled before I can move in.

Banking in Japan #9: Investing

For our final banking-related segment, let's look at DIY investing.

Banking in Japan #8: International Money Transfers

Getting your money from place to place in Japan is one thing, but what about getting money to and from home? Lucky for you the laws have changed for the better in recent years and there are multiple options available.

Banking in Japan #7: Domestic Money Transfers

There are three main ways of transferring cash, all of which rely on automated inter-bank networks. That's not to say that cheques (kogitte 小切手) don't exist, they are just very seldom used outside of specialized business transactions.

Banking in Japan #6: ATMs

Because Japanese ATMs tend to differ slightly from cash points found in North America and Europe, we have put together this guide to help you figure out your withdraws, deposits and everything in between.

Banking in Japan #5: J-Debit and Pay Easy

Today's fun filled financial post will cover non-credit card payment options available to most regular bank account holders.

Banking in Japan #4: Internet Banking and Net Banks

While banking online in Japan hasn't quite caught on to the extend that it has in other countries, banks offer plenty of services to help you monitor your cash flow. In addition, several large companies have opened up net only banks.

In this section we will explain how to bank online in Japan as well as the various net-banking options.

Banking in Japan #3: Savings and Fixed Deposits

Today we will cover savings and deposit options from your local bank.

Banking in Japan #2: Opening an Account

Today: opening a bank account!

Don't be put off by the inevitable language barrier, it's very doable.