I would like to send money to the US from Japan? -

What the best (fastest and cheapest) ways to go about doing this? I live in Minoshima, near Wakayama. I know of sending money orders through the post, but this is rather slow. I m wondering, is there a Western Union-like service that I can use to send money back to the US in the Osaka/Wakayama area of Japan?

I live in Tanabe in Wakayama and think the postal money order is about the fastest. That, or buy Traveler s Cheques, and send them in the mail either to creditors (visa companies and banks accept them, plus they are insured if they get lost, or they act like cash if you are sending them to friends who deposit it someplace for you.) The fee (1%) is relatively cheap compared to large bank-to-bank transfers. Haven t found a Western Union branch in this prefecture. Pay Pal seems like an option as someone said, but you have to go through a trustable third party with your credit card. Might as well use the credit card, which is probably not what you are wanting to do. Good luck.

If you have to send money to the US the best way is Pay Pal subject to condition that the person you are sending money has an account with the bank and you have a Credit Card. This is the fastest way and easiest. Otherwise try Western Union again subject to condition that your country is listed as collecting country on Western Union list.

The fastest is wire your money to my bank account, and i will have it when you arrive.

Lloyds bank will get you 1-2 business day turnaround. You make a domestic furikomi transfer from an ATM to your Lloyd s account and money appears in the predesignated overseas account.

As others have said, Golloyds is the best. I used them when I was living in Japan. Paypal isn t feasible unless you have a credit card from Japan, which I doubt, as it s difficult for foreigners to get a card. There is a flat rate of 2000 Yen, plus whatever your bank charges. I did the transfer through Mizuho, and it was an additional 420 Yen. The post office might be slightly cheaper, although I never used them. But, with Lloyd s, I could send money at 9AM, and check my US account when I arrived back form work, and the money was in place.

You can send money to overseas bank accounts from the post office. The handling fee is 2,500 yen. http://www.yu-cho.japanpost.jp/e_s000000... You can also do a bank to bank transfer from any major banks, but this typically costs 6,000 yen or so.