Send money from Japan to the US: cheapest ways compared

To send money from Japan to the USA, use a registered money transfer company (資金移動業者) from its app or website. On our sample of ¥100,000 sent on October 24, 2026, Wise put $631.28 into a US bank account after a ¥987 fee, and Remitly gave about $629 at its regular price. SBI Remit and Western Union gave less. Japan Post Bank and MUFG charge ¥3,000 before their own exchange rates. You need your residence card (在留カード) and My Number (個人番号), as of October 2026.

How much does ¥100,000 to the US cost?

We priced ¥100,000 paid in total by bank transfer, using quotes captured between 23:02 and 23:10 JST on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Where a provider adds the fee on top, we took it out of the ¥100,000 first. Wise’s mid-market rate at that moment was 1 JPY = 0.00637572 USD, so ¥100,000 was worth $637.57. Rates change every day, and weekday rates may differ from a Saturday quote.

Total cost compares what arrives with ¥100,000 at the mid-market rate. Remitly’s figure is its regular price. A new customer gets a promotional rate of 0.00638 and no fee on the first ¥100,000, which gave $638.00 on our sample, slightly above the mid-market rate. Remitly shows its regular rate to three significant figures only (0.00631), so we give a range: the true rate could be anywhere from 0.006305 to 0.006315. Either way, Wise gave more dollars.

Western Union’s cash pickup (Money in Minutes) used the same fee and rate as its bank deposit. SBI Remit’s cash pickup costs ¥1,480 for ¥30,001 to ¥250,000, at a rate of 1 USD = ¥158.53, which gave about $621.46.

Paying Wise by debit card or Apple Pay raised its fee on our sample to ¥4,129, and the recipient got $611.25. Pay by bank transfer if you can.

Fee only, rate not captured

Banks also apply their own exchange rate, which we couldn’t record, so their total cost is likely higher than the fee alone suggests. KYODAI Remittance (now Ria Kyodai, part of Ria Money Transfer) also sends to the US in dollars. We didn’t price it at our sample time, so it isn’t scored; check its estimator on the day.

Which provider is best for the US?

We score each provider with a full price on the sample, using our remittance method: total cost (30%), speed (15%), payout options (15%), sign-up for foreigners (15%), support (10%) and regulation (15%). “n/a” means no evidence, and it’s left out of the average.

* Remitly’s cost score uses the middle of its range (1.36%). Across the whole range it is 5.7 to 6.2, and its overall score 7.1 to 7.2.

How the 0–10 scale maps, the same on every country page:

• Wise: most dollars on our sample and the lowest total cost, but bank accounts only. ACH usually arrives in 0 to 3 working days.
• Remitly: second on price at its regular rate, best of all for a new customer’s first ¥100,000, and adds cash pickup. It publishes no US delivery times.
• SBI Remit: a flat ¥1,500 fee to a US bank account since its June 2026 fee cut, and cash pickup at MoneyGram agents.
• Western Union: bank deposit or cash pickup, for ¥1,480 on top and a wider margin on the rate.

Wise and Remitly both score 7.1 overall, and Remitly’s rounded rate means we can’t separate them. Wise leads on cost. Remitly scores higher on payouts because it adds cash pickup. Its average also leaves speed out, as it publishes no US delivery time, while Wise’s speed score of 6 pulls Wise’s average down. If price matters most, Wise gave more dollars on our sample. All four are registered with the FSA: Wise Payments Japan (Kanto 00040), Remitly Japan (Kanto 00077), SBI Remit (Kanto 00008) and Western Union Japan (Kanto 00039).

Best for:

• Most dollars to a US bank account: Wise, paid by bank transfer.
• Your first transfer: Remitly’s new-customer offer gave $638.00 on the first ¥100,000.
• Cash pickup: Remitly (partners include Walmart and Ria), SBI Remit through MoneyGram agents, or Western Union.
• Larger amounts: Wise and SBI Remit are Type 1 providers, so the ¥1,000,000 legal cap for Type 2 doesn’t apply to them by law. SBI Remit still sets its own ¥1,000,000 per-transfer limit.

What details do I need for a US bank account?

Wise’s guide to USD transfers lists what you need for the recipient:

• Full name in Latin letters.
• Full address. Wise doesn’t accept PO boxes.
• Bank account number.
• ACH or wire routing number (ABA). Some US banks use a different routing number for wires and for ACH, so ask the recipient which one matches the transfer type.
• Account type (for example checking or savings).

Wise can’t pay into a US brokerage account or an intermediary bank. A wire usually arrives the same or next working day, but the recipient’s bank may charge an incoming wire fee. If you are sending to your own US account, check its routing number for ACH before you start.

How do I send money to the US step by step?

Can I pay in cash without a bank transfer?

Some providers take cash. This helps if your Japanese bank account isn’t open yet.

• SBI Remit: pay cash at FamilyMart, up to ¥100,000 per deposit, for a deposit fee of ¥800 (¥50,000 to ¥100,000), or with its Remit Card at Japan Post ATMs for ¥330 up to ¥50,000 and ¥500 above. These fees come on top of the remittance fee.
• Western Union: you can pay at a convenience store (コンビニ払い), or send through an agent.
• Seven Bank: sends through Western Union from Seven Bank ATMs, but you need a Seven Bank account, and the US is cash pickup only.

Remitly accepts a Japanese bank account, Visa or Mastercard debit card or prepaid card, but not credit cards from Japan.

What do I need to sign up in Japan?

• Residence card (在留カード). Wise, SBI Remit, Western Union and Remitly accept it as ID for foreign residents. Wise also takes a Japanese driver’s license from permanent residents.
• My Number. The overseas transfer reporting law requires it for transfers abroad, including through money transfer companies. If you don’t have the card, Wise accepts a resident record (juminhyo) issued in the last six months showing the number. See My Number card for foreigners.
• Matching details. Wise says your name, date of birth and address must match exactly across your ID, My Number document and profile.

Japan Post Bank’s own international transfers need My Number registered on your account, and its limit is under ¥1,000,000 per transfer, ¥2,000,000 a day and ¥5,000,000 a month. Its page also warns that a transfer to the US can be frozen under US sanctions rules (OFAC), and you may then have to apply to release it yourself.

Is the money reported or taxed?

Transfers over ¥1,000,000 are reported by the provider to the tax office in a statement (国外送金等調書). This is a report, not a tax. Whether money you send counts as a gift depends on who receives it and why; see gift tax in Japan for foreigners. US tax rules on the receiving side are separate. For your own case, ask a tax accountant (税理士) or the tax office in Japan, and a US tax professional for the US side.

If you are moving back to the US, also read the leaving Japan checklist and about the pension refund.

More guides: send money from Japan and send money from Japan to the Philippines.