Two very different online-accessible options: Rakuten’s low ¥750 headline fee with mandatory JPY funding versus Japan Post Bank’s Japanese-only interface and USD/EUR-limited receiving.
Rakuten Bank has a low ¥750 outgoing headline fee but requires JPY funding and adds optional/JPY-remittance fees, while Japan Post Bank is ¥3,000 with a Japanese-only outgoing interface and USD/EUR-only incoming — so Rakuten usually wins on cost if you fund from yen and read the full fee stack.
Rakuten Bank advertises a low ¥750 outgoing fee and more than 60 currencies to 200+ countries, but the details matter: foreign-currency outgoing transfers must be funded by converting from the JPY account (you cannot send an existing foreign-currency deposit directly), an optional sender-paid intermediary fee is ¥1,000, and a JPY-denominated overseas remittance adds ¥3,000. Bank review occurs on business days and may require invoices or explanations.
Japan Post Bank charges ¥3,000 outgoing at its published rate, but the outgoing website is Japanese-only and some fields must be entered in Japanese. Its incoming English instructions support only USD and EUR (BIC JPPSJPJ2) with disclosed correspondent deductions of $10 and €5. Both require My Number and may pass on recipient-bank charges.
If you fund from yen and read the full fee stack, Rakuten Bank usually wins on cost, and its interface is more accessible. Japan Post Bank suits existing customers who are comfortable with the Japanese-only outgoing interface, or recipients who specifically need a Japan Post account and can work in USD or EUR.
For either, the exchange rate and any recipient-bank deduction still determine the total, so compare the recipient amount rather than the headline fee — and for small transfers, a specialist may beat both.
Online bank · Rakuten Bank
Japan’s large online bank, tightly integrated with the Rakuten ecosystem (card, points, securities) and popular for everyday banking.
Fees: No monthly fee; ATM/transfer fees depend on account rank — verify current schedule.
Bank (nationwide) · Japan Post Bank
A bank with the widest branch and ATM network in Japan, often accessible for new residents and useful in rural areas.
Fees: Basic account has no monthly fee; some transfer/ATM fees apply — verify current schedule.