Telephones, Post Offices, and Financial Institutions
Telephones
To newly connect telephones at your house, call NTT. You will need proof of address and name (passport or Alien Registration Card) when you apply. Installation fees apply.
Choose a day for the installation when you apply. You must be at your house the day of the installation, however. Call 116 for more information.
Inquiries are handled in a variety of languages. Please call the following number:
■NTT West Information Service Center
Toll-free: 0120-364-463 (weekdays 9:00:17:00, closed on weekends, holidays, and 12/29 – 1/3)
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and German.
http://www.ntt-west.co.jp/info/helloinfo/2000/0012/03.html
NTT WEST
http://www.ntt-west.co.jp/service_guide/index.html （English）
＜Paying Telephone Bills＞
Follow the instructions on the bill sent from the telephone company, and pay at a convenience store, NTT branch or operation center by the designated day. You can also pay by bank transfer. Apply at your bank or telephone company for bank transfer procedures.
＜Dialing Abroad＞
You can dial overseas numbers directly from your home or from public payphones. There is a simple procedure to follow before dialing – inquire at any telephone company for more information.
You can use telephone cards or coins to call abroad from public telephones. Find a telephone that says “International and Domestic.”
Inquire at other telephone companies to apply at companies besides NTT
You can also call if you no longer need service, or if you have any telephone concerns.
Main telephone companies besides NTT
●KDDI
http://www.kddi.com/personal/ Japanese
http://www.kddi.com/English/personal/index.html English
●SoftBank TELECOM
http://tm.softbank.jp/otoku/consumer/index.html Japanese
http://tm.softbank.jp/English/consumer/index.html English
●Brastel Card
The Brastel Card allows you to call from Japan to anywhere in the world at the same rate, 24 hours a day. You can charge it at convenience stores or by credit card, and you can use it from fixed, mobile or public phones.
http://www.brastel.com/ (in English and many other languages)
Mobile Phones
Different phones cost different amounts of money, and the fees depend on the carrier. Please check the websites of the various mobile phone companies.
＜New Mobile Phone Contracts＞
You can enter a new contract at any local mobile phone store.
●Items necessary for a mobile phone contract
Identification (Alien Registration Card or Drivers License)
If you wish to pay by bank transfer, you must have the personal seal (inkan) you used to open your account and documentation confirming the account name, and number (like a bank passbook).
You can also pay by credit card.
●Mobile Phone Companies
au http://www.au.kddi.com （Japanese, English）
NTT DOCOMO http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp（Japanese, English, Chinese）
SoftBank http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/（Japanese, English）
International Mail and Packages
■Post Office
Post Office are all marked with a red “〒” mark. There, you can send packages and letters, buy stamps, and withdraw cash.
Most are open Mon-Fri, 9am to 5pm, but hours can vary by location, so please inquire at your nearest post office.
Search for the closest post offices and ATMs:
http://map.japanpost.jp/pc/ (Japanese)
-Check international mail prices
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/cgi-charge/
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/English/index.html （English）
Customer Service Center
Weekdays 8:00 – 22:00, weekends and holidays 9:00-22:00
TEL：0120-23-28-86 (Japanese, toll-free）
0570-046-111 (English, not toll-free)
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/question/contact_us/index2.html （Japanese）
Yamato Transport Company (you can send packages domestically and overseas)
Use these sites when shipping overseas
http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/services/kaigai.html (Japanese)
http://www.kuronekoyamato.co.jp/English/index.html（English）
Domestic packages can be sent from a convenience store. You can also call and have them pick the package up at your home.
Financial Institutions
Cash is the most commonly used financial instrument. Personal checks are virtually never used. Credit cards that are part of a global network can be used at many stores.
＜How to use Banks and other Financial Institutions＞
Japanese banks offer services such as savings and remittances, automatic withdrawal of water, electricity and gas bills, and credit card payment. To utilize these services you need to open an ordinary bank account.
（１）Opening an account
To open a savings account at a bank, you must have:
１）Identification like your passport or Alien Registration Card
２）A personal seal (a signature will suffice)
There is no fee for opening an account, and you will be issued a bank book to record transactions and a cash card.
（２）Using a Cash Card
You can use your cash card to deposit and withdraw money from Automated Teller Machines even when you can’t speak to a teller. To withdraw money you will need to enter your 4-digit secret number, so be sure not to forget it.
You can use ATMs at large stations and convenience stores even after banks have closed, but cash service hours vary between banks.
＜Applying for Automatic Transfer to your Account>
You can have your public utilities, telephone, and NHK Broadcast bills deducted automatically from your bank account by filling out a bank account transfer application form (koza furikomi moshikomisho) at your bank. You will need to either use your personal seal or sign the document. You may need your contract number. Be sure to bring all of your bills and receipts.
＜Making Remittances＞
To send money through the bank network, you will need:
The name and branch name of the recipient’s bank
The account’s number and type
Address
Name
Telephone number
When receiving money, give the sender the above information. These transactions can be done internationally.
From postal savings banks, you can send money to foreign addresses (international postal money order or international postal bank transfer) or directly to bank accounts.
http://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kojin/tukau/kaigai/kj_tk_kg_index.html (English)
＜Other Convenient Remittance Methods＞
Lloyds TSB
You can send money by using ATMs and through internet banking. The procedure is simple, and you can speedily send money overseas.
https://www.lloydstsb.co.jp/index/en （English）
Kyoto Prefectural International Center |
