Western Union Japan

Restrictions and Special Notes for Sending and Receiving Money In Japan

• Rules for using Western Union® Money TransferSM service
• Customer Identification

Rules for using Western Union® Money TransferSM service

Please observe the following Rules when using the Western Union Money Transfer service:

The Services are not provided by a bank.

• The Services do not include the acceptance of deposits, savings or installment savings as defined in Banking Act Article 2-4.
• The Services are not covered by any insurance provisions contained in Article 53 of the Deposit Insurance Act or Article 55 of the Agricultural and Fishery Cooperation Savings Insurance Act.
• Western Union have signed and executed a Guarantee Agreement with the Royal Bank of Scotland (Japan Branch) to ensure that all users of the Western Union Money Transfer service in Japan are protected by the Performance Protection Funds contained in Article 44 of the Money Transfer Business Act.
• Senders have the right to claim the money back until the principle money is received based on The Act on Settlement.
• The Services are provided by Agents (*) on behalf of Western Union under an outsourcing contract signed and executed between Agents and Western Union.
*The Agent is a representative who offers the Western Union-branded money transfer service in Japan

Please take note of the following points when using Western Union Money Transfer Services.

• Only individual customers whose identification can be confirmed in compliance with the law can use the Services. The Services are not available to Corporate customers.
• Customers are required to visit Agent locations personally to use the Services. The Services are not available to agents or attorney-in-law acting on behalf of their principals client or customers. We shall not perform money transfer over the telephone or via E-mail.
• The maximum limit for money transfers is ¥700,000 Japanese yen.
• Please read “Western Union Money Transfer Terms and Conditions” carefully, which also applies to every transaction.
• Individual consumers can conduct money transfers between countries in which Western Union have a network presence. For countries in which the Western Union network is available, please refer to the Western Union website.
• The standard time for completing a money transfer transaction is approximately 10 minutes (there may be time deviation with reference to the countries in which the funds are transferred to).
• Consumers can send money in Japanese Yen from Japan. The money can be received in the currency of the recipient country. However, there may be cases whereby the payment currency may be different from the local currency.
• The exchange rate adopted by the Western Union incorporates a certain foreign exchange margin.
• Western Union receives cash only. In some countries, checks may also be received.
• Western Union may conduct enquiries to ensure that the Fund Recipient is the intended Fund Recipient.
• All transfer transactions are subject to availability and the conditions applicable at the recipient location. The transfer transactions may be subject to local taxes and/or services charges at the recipient location.
• Fund transferred shall be paid to the person whom the Agent(s) deemed entitled to receive the fund after verification of identity through examination of identification documents.
• Such fund payment can be made even when the form(s) completed by the Fund Recipient contain(s) errors. Neither Western Union nor its Overseas Agent carries out a comparison between the “Send Money Form” and the “Receive Money Form” to verify the address supplied by the Fund Recipient.
• Western Union shall refund the principal amount upon the Sender’s written request if payment has not been made to the Fund Recipient.
• The transfer fee is non-refundable if the Sender cancels the transaction.
• Western Union may deduct administrative charges from funds that are not collected by the Fund Recipient within one year of the Send Date.
• Western Union does not guarantee the delivery or suitability of any goods or services paid for by the Sender.
• The Sender’s transfer transaction data is confidential and shall not be shared with any person other than the Fund Recipient. In no event shall Western Union or its Overseas Agent(s) be held liable if the Sender communicates the transfer transaction data to any person other than the Fund Recipient.
• Western Union or its Agent(s) shall not inform the Fund Recipient of the arrival of the transferred funds unless Short Message Service (SMS) notification services are available in the recipient’s country and the recipient has subscribed to this sevice previously. The Sender is required to communicate with the Fund Recipient and inform them of the procedures to receive the fund.
• Customers must not use the Services for illegal purpose(s). In compliance with the laws on Anti-Money Laundering, Western Union shall screen all transactions against lists of names provided by the Governments of the countries in which it conducts business activities. If the Customer’s name is identified from the List, Western Union may request the sender to provide additional identification documents, other information or documents that it deems necessary. The transactions may be declined or delayed.
• Western Union shall refrain from any connection with any anti-social activists (i.e. Groups or individuals that pursue economic profits through the use of violence, threats and fraud). Western Union shall decline money transfer requests from anti-social activists, and/or if having found that a money transfer had been made by the anti-social activists, the said transaction shall be void, and the fund transferred would be refunded to the Sender.
• In accordance with the duty of confirmation prescribed in Article 17 of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law, Western Union asks senders about the purposes of all transactions and to confirm that no transaction contributes to any activity which may be involved in nuclear related projects, etc, which are restricted by "Payment Restriction regarding Trade" for North Korea and "Restriction on Funds Usage" for North Korea and Iran.
• Please protect yourself from International Money Transfer fraud with self-responsibility. In order to prevent International Money Transfer fraud, please be careful about the followign points when you send money. Are you acquainted with the receiver? Do NOT send money to people you do not personally know. Do not send money for Internet shopping payments or for advanced payment for services. When you receive a money transfer request, please call the requester directly to confirm the request details before sending money. You may become a victim of fraud if you send money upon e-mail request without verifying the requestor's identity or authentity of request. When you inform the receiver of the MTCN (Money Transfer Control Number), please communicate it directly to the receiver by means of a secure channel such as telephone. When you think you have encountered an International Money Transfer Fraud, please report it to the police immediately.
• Inquiries regarding this service are handled at our call center.
  Contact us for inquiries regarding this service at: 　
  0034-800-400-733* (For inquiries from within Japan) 　
  +61-2-9226-9554 * (For inquiries from overseas)
  Monday to Sunday 10:00 - 19:00 (Japanese service) *English is available 24 hours per day.
  
  Western Union seek to resolve all claims related to the Money Transfer process as soon as we can. In case of dis-satisfaction, consumers may contact Japan Payment Service Association with claims and request for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Japan Payment Service Association may introduce details of ADR. Please contact 03-3219-0628. The dispute reolution institutions used for this service are: The Tokyo Bar Association: 03-3581-003, The Dai-ichi Tokyo Bar Association: 03-3595-8588 and the Daini Tokyo Bar Association: 03-3581-2249

Customer Identification

When sending / receiving money, consumers are requested to submit the following valid and original photo identification documents issued by the Government. The holder’s name, address and date of birth must be identified on the documents.

Japanese consumer
Please submit one of following documents:

(a)	Japan Driving License with photo
(b)	Passport (An item in which the current address has been recorded in detail, including the house number with a writing instrument that cannot be erased such as a ball-point pen or a fountain pen, etc. When this is not the case, please include one of the following secondary IDs.)
(c)	A Health Insurance Card (However, when using an insurance card, one of the following secondary IDs must be included.)
(d)	Resident Registration Certificate Card
(e)	Documents published or issued by a public office, etc. to which the public office has attached a picture of you <Secondary identification> A Tax Receipt of national or municipal or automobile tax (issued within the last 6 months) Certificate of Residence Registration(issued within the last 6 months) A Heal Insurance Card National Pension Book Documents published or issued by a public office

Foreign Customers
Please submit one of following documents:

<Foreign travelers>
Foreign travelers who have received landing permission for less than 90 days in Japan should display their Passport.

<Foreigners living in Japan>
Foreigners who have received landing permission for more than 90 days should display their Certificate of Alien Registration (CAR).
It is necessary for the Certificate of Alien Registration to fulfill the following requirements:

1. It must be valid within the expiry date.
2. The customer's current address in Japan must be written on it.
3. It must be changed, renewed or extended as required.
4. The name must be written in roman characters (alphabet).

If the Certificate of Alien Registration does not fulfill the above requirements, it cannot be used to verify identification, and this makes it impossible for us to process any transactions.

If items 3. and 4. are not satisfied by the certificate, and the address and name cannot be verified, please submit one of the following secondary IDs.

• Passport
• Japan Driving License
• A Health Insurance Card
• National Pension Book
• Certificate of Residence Registration (issued within the last 6 months)
• A Tax Receipt of national or municipal or automobile taxes (issued within the last 6 months)

also,

• Foreign Embassy staff should provide their identification issued by Japan Ministry of Foreign Affaris.
• Persons who are in Japan for diplomacy or official missions should provide an official ID along with their passport. It is necessary that the passport be stamped to signify that landing permission has been granted by Japan for official missions. It is also necessary that your address be recorded on the official ID.
• Persons who reside within US military bases based on the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement should provide an ID that includes a picture of their face and that has been issued by the US government.
• Seamen should provide an ID that includes a picture of their face and that has been issued by the country where their vessel is registered.

Note:

1. Certificate of Alien Registration ("Gaikoku jin Touroku Shoumeisho"). If the name is not written in English character, please submit secondary identification documents listed below.

2. If the identification documents do not show residential address, please submit one of the following documents to confirm the residential address

• Tax receipt (National Tax, Municipal Tax, and Automobile Tax) (past 6 months)
• Certificate of Residence Registration(Jyumin Hyou)
• Health Insurance card
• Pension Book
• Other official documents issued by the Japanese Government or the municipal authority
• Official documents issued by a foreign country or an international authority (including driver license, social security card)