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Certified Japanese Bank Statement Translation
Certified translation of the documents that evidence bank accounts and balances in Japan, including the registry annotations and endorsements that carry the legal effect and that a reader unfamiliar with the system will otherwise skip.
$24.95/page
Flat rate per page, up to 250 words. No hidden fees.
100% USCIS acceptance
Every certified translation is guaranteed to be accepted by USCIS.
24-hour delivery
Most 1-3 page documents are delivered within 24 hours. Same-day available.
The tsūchō is a printed passbook
Japanese banks issue a 通帳 (tsūchō) — a passbook updated at an ATM, which prints each transaction line into the book. For most personal accounts it is the record, and a separate statement is something you request.
The passbook's first page carries the branch name, branch number, account type and account number, and the transaction pages carry abbreviated descriptions in katakana. We translate the whole book including the abbreviations.
The account number needs the branch number
A Japanese account is identified by the bank code, the branch number (three digits) and the account number (seven digits), plus the account type — futsū ordinary or tōza current.
The account number alone is not unique across the bank. We reproduce all of the components as labelled, and the account holder name in katakana as the bank records it.
The name is in katakana, and the order
Japanese bank records hold the account name in katakana, in surname-then-given order, with a limited character set — so long names are truncated and some sounds are approximated.
Matching that against a passport in Hepburn romanisation is not always obvious, and it is where a US office querying a name mismatch is usually looking. We reproduce the katakana, give the reading and note the order.
The zandaka shōmeisho
For formal purposes Japanese banks issue a 残高証明書 — a balance certificate — stating the balance as of a date, sealed by the bank. It is a separate application with a fee and it is what a visa or a court usually wants.
Japanese financial documents are also dated by imperial era in places, so Reiwa 5 is 2023. We convert each date. See our Japanese page.
Ordering, and what the certification covers
Upload the document, choose certified translation at $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, and it comes back typically within 24 hours as a PDF formatted to mirror the original, with a signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead. Marginal annotations are translated in place, in the margin, and every seal, stamp and registry endorsement is translated with the text. See how we translate and certified versus standard.
Frequently asked questions
Is a passbook a bank statement?
For most Japanese personal accounts it is the record. A separate statement is something you request.
Which number is the account number?
Bank code, three-digit branch number and seven-digit account number, plus the account type. The account number alone is not unique.
Why is the name in katakana?
Banks hold it that way, surname first, in a limited character set. That is where a name mismatch against a passport usually comes from.
What is a zandaka shōmeisho?
A sealed balance certificate stating the balance as of a date. It is what a visa or a court usually wants.
Ready to get started?
Upload the document and receive the certified translation, typically within 24 hours.