日本政府最新推出的一項針對在日外國人的金融政策，對於許多在當地生活、工作，甚至是求學的外國人而言，可能會帶來不小的衝擊。政策的核心在於，如果外國人的簽證過期，或是在更新簽證後沒有及時向銀行申報，那麼他的銀行帳戶將會遭到凍結。這意味著即便帳戶仍然存在，當事人也無法透過ATM提款或進行任何轉帳操作。

之所以出現這項嚴格措施，背後其實有相當具體的犯罪背景。日本警方近年發現，有部分外國人在離境前，會把自己名下的銀行帳戶轉售或非法交給他人，而這些帳戶最終落入詐騙集團的手裡，被用來進行電信詐騙與洗錢活動。根據警察廳的統計，光在2024年就有多達1273起涉及外國人帳戶濫用的詐騙案件，涉案金額超過28億日圓。對於日本社會來說，這不僅僅是金融秩序問題，更攸關公共安全。

事實上，早在去年日本政府就已經修改了相關法律，明確規定外國人在簽證更新、變更後，必須主動向銀行申報。但由於這項規定長期缺乏嚴格執行，導致制度形同虛設。直到2024年12月，警視廳要求各大金融機構強化管理，銀行才開始陸續引進配套系統。據媒體報導，目前三菱UFJ銀行與瑞穗銀行已率先執行這項措施，未來很可能會擴大至全國所有金融機構。

值得注意的是，這項制度並不是透過政府與銀行之間的自動系統對接來確認外國人的身份，而是必須由本人主動申報。換句話說，即使你的簽證已經合法續簽，但只要你沒有帶著新的在留卡去銀行辦理資訊更新，銀行系統就會直接視同「身份過期」，進而凍結帳戶，所有提款與轉帳功能一律失效。這一點對在日外國人來說尤為關鍵，因為一旦帳戶被凍結，不僅生活費用難以支付，連日常工作上的金融操作也會受到影響。

目前三菱UFJ與瑞穗銀行已經在官網上發出提醒，呼籲外國人一旦完成在留卡更新，務必盡快前往櫃台辦理登記。如果已經更換住所，最好也要及時更新銀行的住址紀錄，以確保能接收到相關通知。假如帳戶真的被凍結，當事人則需要攜帶在留卡與簽證續簽的受理文件，到銀行窗口申請解禁，才能恢復正常使用。

從更廣的角度來看，這項政策透露出日本政府對於防堵電信詐騙的強烈決心。它同時反映出外國人在日生活的法律與金融風險正逐步提高。對在日工作或求學的人而言，除了要確保簽證狀態合法，更要養成主動與銀行保持資訊同步的習慣，否則一旦帳戶遭到凍結，將會帶來極大的不便與困境。對留學生與打工族來說，這項日本新政策的影響確實會有所不同，可以從生活型態、收入來源以及金融依賴程度來看：

對於留學生而言，他們通常依靠父母匯款或兼職收入維持生活，銀行帳戶是唯一的資金接收與使用渠道。如果帳戶因為沒有及時申報而被凍結，不僅生活費領不到，連學費繳交也可能受影響。此外，很多留學生在打工領薪時，雇主會直接打到銀行帳戶，如果帳戶失效，工資領取就會出現問題。因此，這項政策對留學生的打擊更多在於日常生活與學業穩定性，一旦發生帳戶凍結，留學生幾乎會陷入無法生活的困境。

至於打工族或短期勞動者，情況又有所不同。這些人往往來日時間不長，可能在工廠、餐飲業或建築業打工，收入高度依賴銀行轉帳。如果帳戶被冻结，他們領不到工資，日常生活立即陷入停擺。而且，由於一些打工族的居留身分本來就比較不穩定，他們更可能忽視或不了解「簽證更新後要去銀行申報」這道程序，因此成為受影響最嚴重的一群人。更糟的是，有些打工族可能在離開日本前，會因為經濟壓力選擇將帳戶賣給詐騙集團，這也正是日本政府推出此政策的原因之一。

總體來說，留學生受到的影響偏向「生活層面」，例如學費、房租、日常開支都會被拖累；而打工族則是「生計層面」的直接衝擊，因為工資領不到，甚至會被迫中斷工作。這兩個群體如果沒有養成在簽證更新後「立刻去銀行同步資訊」的習慣，都可能因帳戶凍結而陷入巨大麻煩。

The Japanese government has recently introduced a new financial policy targeting foreign residents, which could significantly impact those living, working, or studying in the country. At the core of this policy is the stipulation that if a foreigner’s visa expires, or if they fail to promptly report their visa renewal to their bank, their bank account will be frozen. This means that even if the account technically still exists, the individual will no longer be able to withdraw money from ATMs or carry out any transfers.

The reason behind this strict measure lies in very concrete criminal concerns. In recent years, Japanese police have discovered that some foreigners, before leaving the country, sold or illegally transferred their bank accounts to others. These accounts eventually fell into the hands of criminal groups and were used for telecom fraud and money laundering. According to data from the National Police Agency, in 2024 alone, there were as many as 1,273 fraud cases involving the misuse of foreigner-owned bank accounts, with the total amount exceeding 2.8 billion yen. For Japanese society, this is not merely a financial issue but also one of public safety.

In fact, the Japanese government had already amended relevant laws last year, requiring foreigners to report to their bank whenever their visa status was updated or renewed. However, because this rule had not been strictly enforced, the system was largely ineffective. It was not until December 2024, when the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department instructed major financial institutions to strengthen oversight, that banks began introducing new supporting systems. According to media reports, Mitsubishi UFJ Bank and Mizuho Bank have already started enforcing this measure, and it is highly likely to expand nationwide to all financial institutions.

It is important to note that this system does not automatically sync information between immigration authorities and banks. Instead, foreigners must personally notify their banks. In other words, even if a visa has been legally renewed, if the account holder fails to visit the bank with their updated residence card, the system will still treat the identity as “expired” and freeze the account, disabling all withdrawals and transfers. For foreign residents in Japan, this is a crucial point, as frozen accounts can disrupt not only living expenses but also financial transactions tied to their work.

Both Mitsubishi UFJ and Mizuho Bank have already issued notices on their official websites, urging foreigners to promptly update their records in person once they renew their residence card. If someone has moved, they are also advised to update their address at the bank to ensure they receive official notifications. Should an account be frozen, the individual must bring their residence card and documents proving their visa renewal process to the bank counter to lift the freeze and restore access.

On a broader level, this policy reflects the Japanese government’s strong determination to combat telecom fraud. It also highlights the increasing legal and financial risks that foreign residents face in Japan. For those working or studying in the country, it is not only important to maintain a valid visa status but also to proactively keep banks updated with the latest information, as failing to do so could result in account freezes and major inconveniences.

The impact of this new policy varies between students and migrant workers, depending on their lifestyles, sources of income, and financial dependence. For students, who often rely on remittances from their families or part-time jobs, bank accounts serve as their only channel for receiving and managing funds. If their accounts are frozen due to a failure to report visa renewals, they may lose access to living expenses, be unable to pay tuition fees, and face difficulties in receiving wages from part-time employers, who usually transfer salaries directly into bank accounts. For students, therefore, the consequences are most felt in terms of daily living and academic stability, and a frozen account can push them into an unmanageable situation.

For migrant workers or short-term laborers, the scenario is somewhat different. Many of them come to Japan for short periods and are employed in factories, restaurants, or construction. Their livelihoods depend heavily on bank transfers for wages. If their accounts are frozen, they cannot get paid, and their daily lives grind to a halt. Furthermore, because many of these workers’ residency status is already precarious, they may be more likely to overlook or fail to understand the reporting requirement after visa renewals, making them the most vulnerable group under this policy. To make matters worse, some workers, under financial pressure, may even choose to sell their accounts to criminal groups before leaving Japan, which is precisely the kind of abuse this new policy seeks to curb.

In summary, students are primarily affected on the “daily living” front—covering tuition, rent, and general expenses—while migrant workers suffer more on the “livelihood” front, as their wages may be blocked and their work disrupted. Both groups face severe consequences if they fail to update their bank information immediately after renewing their visas, making this policy a potential source of major difficulties in their everyday lives.