Re: [tlug] Receiving money internationally

[Raymond Wan <rwan.kyoto@example.com>]

On Tue, Aug 30, 2022 at 12:35 PM Schwartz, Fernando G. <fgs@example.com> wrote:
> On 8/29/22 23:31, Raymond Wan wrote:
> > .  Another idea I just had is that HSBC is a UK bank and it seems to
> > have a Japanese branch (https://www.hsbc.co.jp/).  Perhaps you can
> > call them up?  Maybe they can offer some suggestions (most likely
> > not...) -- maybe they're from the same "family" and can offer a way to
> > transfer money to you, if the other side banks with HSBC as well.
>
> Greetings you all! Not the case. I remember entering one of remaining
> "HSBC" branches (in Yokohama), back in 2012 already more than a decade
> ago. "HSBC" doesn't do "retail" (ordinary folks like me) banking in Japan.
>
> I strongly recommend getting yourselves a "digital bank" account. Things
> like "P*yP*l", "W*s*" and so many others fall into the category of
> "payment processors". They kinda look similar but aren't. A real online
> bank account is " N26 ", " Revolut " and others. It's true about the
> constrains of registration but you can get yourself around those with
> your street address in Europe, in my case.
>
> And BTW, how I would say the banking system is the absolute, absolute
> parasite of society. Specially those old, old ones like "HSBC".


haha -- honestly, I realise this is a tech savvy mailing list but
we're not helping ourselves by giving advice to others by using 10
year old information.  One has to wonder who is "old, old" -- HSBC or
us for using such old, outdated examples!

I will admit that it is possible HSBC doesn't do retail banking in
Japan.  That isn't due to it being old, but probably due to the
monopoly that the Japanese banks have mixed in with local Japanese not
interested in trying a foreign bank.  I suppose if most people in
Japan just go overseas to travel and business trips are "covered" by
the company or their local offices, then yes...a foreign bank is
probably not necessary.

Other than that, so-called "old, old" banks might have what you're
looking for if we set aside any bias against them.  What I said about
HSBC (and why I chose HSBC as an example) was because of a recent
example from 2022, and not 2012.  :-)  In Hong Kong, if you are a
customer of HSBC, then you may be able to open one overseas a bit
easier.  See:  https://www.hsbc.com.hk/international/ . Of course, if
there is a government regulation to physically be there with a
residential address, then they can't help with that -- maybe they can
make some identity checks a bit easier.  But to say that major
international banks that exist in different countries don't talk to
each other is not true.

Similarly, if you have a Citibank account in Hong Kong and went
overseas to withdraw money at a Citibank branch, then the fee is
waived.  And yes, this is also a 2022 example; I walked into a branch
and asked someone.

It is unfortunate that neither seem to have a sizable presence in Japan...

I still wonder why the ATM bank cards in Japan have the magnetic strip
on the front (back then...I presume this is still the case?) whereas
everywhere else seems to have it on the back.  It's like they're
purposely trying to be different from everyone else.  :-)

Ray