# Business bank account in Japan for foreign freelancers and company owners

URL: https://japanhow.com/money/banking/business-bank-account-japan-foreigners/
Author: JapanHow editors
Updated: Oct 26, 2026

## Summary

As of October 2026, foreigners can open a business bank account in Japan, but banks screen each application and may refuse without giving a reason. A company usually needs a registration record issued within 6 months and a company seal certificate. Rakuten Bank wants 3 months left on your residence card for a company account, and GMO Aozora Net Bank generally wants 6 months for a sole-proprietor account. Non-residents and students are excluded at GMO Aozora. Check each bank's page before applying.

## Key facts

- Time left on residence card: 3 months (Rakuten) to 6 months (GMO Aozora)
- Company registration record: Issued within 6 months (Rakuten)
- Bank can refuse: Yes, reasons not disclosed
- Business Manager capital rule: ¥30 million, from 16 October 2025

Yes, a foreigner can open a business bank account in Japan, but the bank decides case by case. As of October 2026, the usual starting point is a **residence card (在留カード) with enough time left**: Rakuten Bank asks for at least 3 months on its company account, and GMO Aozora Net Bank generally wants 6 months for sole proprietors. Companies also need a registration record and a company seal certificate. Banks may refuse without saying why.

## Can a foreigner open a corporate bank account in Japan?

Yes, if you live in Japan. The banks we checked name the residence card as the ID for a representative who is not Japanese. Rakuten Bank accepts only a residence card or a special permanent resident certificate (特別永住者証明書) from non-Japanese administrators, with a copy of both sides. Sumishin SBI Net Bank lists the same two documents among its options.

JETRO notes that a representative office cannot open an account in its own name.

Banks do not owe you a reason if they say no. JETRO says each bank screens applications and may refuse after an overall assessment, and that screening details are generally not disclosed. Our bank pages did not publish a rule for how long this takes, so plan for delay.

## What do banks check about the company?

JETRO lists the standard documents for a company account:

| Document | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Certified company registration record (法人の登記事項証明書) | Rakuten Bank wants the full history record (履歴事項全部証明書) issued within 6 months, as an original |
| Company seal registration certificate (法人の印鑑登録証明書) | Rakuten Bank: issued within 3 months, original |
| ID of the person who visits the bank | Residence card for a foreign national at Rakuten Bank |
| Bank seal (銀行印) | Listed by JETRO |

Requirements differ by bank. Banks may also ask who the beneficial owner (実質的支配者) is, what the company does, how it is financed, why you want the account, and whether you hold a license if the business needs one.

Sumishin SBI Net Bank adds that if a beneficial owner lives outside Japan, it also needs the company seal certificate. It does not return documents you submit.

Some IDs do not work. Sumishin SBI Net Bank does not accept health insurance cards or printed phone photos, and expired documents are rejected on arrival.

## How much time must be left on my residence card?

It depends on the bank, and the numbers differ:

| Bank and account | Time left on residence card |
|---|---|
| Rakuten Bank, company account | At least 3 months |
| GMO Aozora Net Bank, sole proprietor | Under 6 months: in principle you cannot use the account |
| Sumishin SBI Net Bank, company account | Must be within validity; no minimum stated on the page we read |

GMO Aozora Net Bank tells applicants with less than 6 months left to renew first. Rakuten Bank may ask for your documents again after opening to confirm your residence status.

## Does my visa status matter?

It can. GMO Aozora Net Bank says non-residents (非居住者) and holders of student (留学) status cannot use its account. It adds that most foreign nationals count as non-residents under Japanese law unless they work in Japan (not part-time) or have been here more than 6 months. We did not find a status ban at the other banks, but they screen each case.

If you start a company on a Business Manager (経営・管理) status, the status itself changed. From 16 October 2025, the Immigration Services Agency requires business scale of ¥30 million or more, at least one full-time employee who is Japanese, a special permanent resident or holds a few specific statuses, Japanese at about JLPT N2 level (you or the employee), and a business plan checked by a 中小企業診断士, 公認会計士 or 税理士. People already in the status are judged on business condition until 16 October 2028. This page is information, not visa advice: ask a licensed immigration and administrative specialist (行政書士). Our [Business Manager visa guide](/visa/visas/business-manager-visa-japan/) covers the status.

The Business Manager period of stay can be 5 years, 3 years, 1 year, 6 months, 4 months or 3 months. A short period leaves less time on your card, which matters for the rules above.

## I am a freelancer or sole proprietor. What are my options?

A sole proprietor runs a business as an individual. Rakuten Bank's personal business account is the example we read:

- You open it from an existing Rakuten Bank personal account.
- You must be 18 or older and submit documents showing you run a business.
- Companies (株式会社, 合同会社 and others) and businesses that have not started are not eligible.
- The account name can be your name plus a trade name (屋号), but not the trade name alone.
- The bank may decline.

Check that your status allows the work you do. Our [freelance and side jobs guide](/visa/visas/freelance-side-job-visa-japan/) explains status limits, and our [tax return guide](/money/tax/tax-return-japan-foreigners/) covers filing. Ask a tax accountant (税理士) about how a business account fits your taxes.

**What we could not confirm:** Mizuho Bank's page blocked our check, and we found no foreigner-specific corporate rules for MUFG, SMBC or Japan Post Bank. Processing times, virtual offices and whether a company can apply before it is registered are also unconfirmed. Ask the bank.

More guides: [opening a bank account in Japan](/money/banking/bank-account-for-foreigners-japan/), [Business Manager visa](/visa/visas/business-manager-visa-japan/), [freelance and side jobs](/visa/visas/freelance-side-job-visa-japan/) and [tax returns for foreigners](/money/tax/tax-return-japan-foreigners/).

## Questions people ask

### Can a foreigner open a corporate bank account in Japan?

Yes. Banks accept a foreign representative who lives in Japan and shows a residence card. Each bank screens the application and may refuse it, and details of the screening are generally not disclosed.

### Does my residence card need 6 months left?

It depends on the bank. Rakuten Bank asks for at least 3 months on its company account. GMO Aozora Net Bank says that with under 6 months left you generally cannot use its sole-proprietor account, so renew first.

### Can a foreign student open a business account?

Not at GMO Aozora Net Bank, which says holders of student (留学) status and non-residents cannot use its account. We did not find the rule at other banks, so ask the bank before applying.

### Can a sole proprietor use a trade name on the account?

At Rakuten Bank, yes: your name plus a trade name (屋号). The trade name alone is not accepted. The account must be linked to a business you already run.

### What documents does a company account need?

Typically a certified company registration record, a company seal registration certificate, ID for the person who visits the bank and a bank seal. Requirements differ by bank, so confirm with yours.

## Sources

- [在留資格「経営・管理」に係る上陸基準省令等の改正について](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/resources/10_00237.html), 出入国在留管理庁 (Immigration Services Agency) (accessed Oct 26, 2026)
- [在留資格「経営・管理」](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/businessmanager.html), 出入国在留管理庁 (Immigration Services Agency) (accessed Oct 26, 2026)
- [Section 1. 登記](https://www.jetro.go.jp/invest/setting_up/section1/reference.html), JETRO (accessed Oct 26, 2026)
- [法人ビジネス口座開設に必要な書類一覧](https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/business/account/id.html), Rakuten Bank (accessed Oct 26, 2026)
- [個人ビジネス口座を開設できる方](https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/smallbusiness/account/qualified.html), Rakuten Bank (accessed Oct 26, 2026)
- [口座開設 (個人事業主)](https://gmo-aozora.com/smallbusiness/account/), GMO Aozora Net Bank (accessed Oct 26, 2026)
- [法人口座 本人確認書類](https://www.netbk.co.jp/contents/account/honnin-kakunin-corp.html), Sumishin SBI Net Bank (accessed Oct 26, 2026)