This week's column kicks off with a question about Japanese banks from reader S.K.
"I spent a few years in Japan and had bank accounts," she writes. "Now I am overseas and I was looking for information on what options I have to close the accounts and get the remaining money. My accounts are still active and I can provide the ID and inkan [personal seal] I used to open them."
I spoke with representatives at three of Japan's largest banks, Mizuho, Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo Mitsui. I mistakenly assumed that the banks' respective international departments would handle S.K.'s request. However, each bank advised me to call the branch where the account was held. Not being privy to this information, I fell back on the old standby, "calling on behalf of a friend," and contacted the branches in my own city.