Ah, the monthly utility bills, time to send in a check or sign in to an online payment…. not necessarily in Japan! How you pay bills in Japan is a little different.
[Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in June of 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.]
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How you will receive utility bills in Japan
One thing you will want to check your mail for besides Domino’s coupons and other random fliers about take away sushi and the like is your utility bills, how else will you pay bills in Japan? When determining the amount due, it is normally listed in multiple spots on the paper. Look for the symbol for yen, 円.
Why is it in multiple spots? When you pay bills in Japan, the receipts go to multiple different people. Do you see the perforation on the paper? Don’t take those apart yourself!! One will go to you, and the others go to the company and as record for who ever took your payment (more on that in a second).
How to easily pay bills in Japan: Gas, Electric, Water Utility bills in Japan
Need an excuse to get outside for some extra steps (I love my Garmin Fenix 6S for fitness tracking!), take your bill down to your local convenience store or the Japanese Post Office and hand them over to the clerk to pay utility bills in Japan.
They’ll scan them in and after you pay — in CASH — will stamp them paid, remove the sections of the bill they need for the receipt, give you your half and send you on your merry way. Remember when I mentioned JP ATMs? Yeah, this is why. Saves on the postage fees but something to adjust to when your use to in America paying utility bills online.
It however also adds to the fact that convenience stores really are, convenient.
Personally, I kind of like going to the konbini once a month to pay my bills, pick up a few things, see what new instant ramen or onigiri options there are. You can’t throw a rock in town (especially if you live near the train stations) without hitting a コンビニ (konbini, convenience store) so this never caused an issue.
Can I use bank withdrawals or automatic payments for my utility bills in Japan?
While this article is written from the perspective of someone living in Japan under a status of forces agreement (SOFA), the key basics are the same – except this! Unless I had a spouse that was working for a Japanese company, it’s pretty hard for me to get a Japanese bank account. Nigh impossible, but also not a huge concern as 7-11 ATMs take foreign bank cards (as does the Japanese Post Office). My bank is also available on base.
However, for bill paying in Japan to be automated to a bank account, you’ll need a Japanese bank. (If I’m wrong and someone has figured out how to do it, please share! But I tried and got harsh glares when I asked!). For automatic payments, you’ll have to submit an application to the utility company. This can take some time to process, so make sure not to miss a month!
Cell Phone Bill Paying in Japan
My cell phone bill in Japan I do actually have the option to have automatic payments set up on my credit card or receive a bill in the mail. With the bill being received in the mail, you at least have a reminder to make sure you don’t have any erroneous charges (though they ARE in Japanese so Google Translate, find a friend, or learn Japanese) and you can take your bill either to your cell phone provider in that case or you can take them to the コンビニ (konbini, convenience store) as well.
Bill Paying Services: GI Bill Pay
An option for the 20,000+ Americans working in Yokosuka Japan (and other bases around the country) is to use a bill-paying service to pay bills in Japan. Gas, Electric, and Water and your rent can all be taken care of. For military personnel that may be gone for months at a time, this is a great time saver and stress reliever. They charge a small fee every month but you don’t have to ever worry about being late on a bill payment.
With my first rental in Japan, I had the option to use a bill-paying service but it was not required. I chose not to use it because I thought it was super fun to pay bills in Japan at the convenience store or コンビニ (konbini). My second landlord required it, something that will be confirmed during your lease signing. It definitely took some of the “hassle” away, if you can even call it that. There are convenience stores all over Japan, I pass multiple each day. The only thing would be remembering to bring the bill!
What do you think of the Japanese bill paying system?
