How to send money to South Africa from Japan with the best JPY-ZAR rate

The exchange rate determines how many JPY the recipient will get in South Africa when you send Yen.

Today, the average exchange rate between Yen and Rand is 0.1026. The company offering the best exchange rate is Wise.

The JPY-ZAR rate fluctuates constantly, so timing your transfer to South Africa can help you save a lot of money.

The total cost of sending money to South Africa from Japan is a mix of the mid-market, exchange rates and transfer fees.

• The Mid-Market and Exchange Rates: The mid-market for JPY-ZAR is 0.1026 ZAR per Yen.

• Fees: When sending money there may be additional fees. Regency FX offers the lowest fee of the 9 providers tested, costing 0 JPY per transfer (based on ¥1,000,000 transferred).

• Amount Received: When comparing providers, the best measure is the amount of Rand eventually received in South Africa.

Sometimes, waiting a day or two can help you get more ZAR for the same amount of JPY. You can also opt for a forward contract to lock in rates between Japan and South Africa.

A bank transfer is the most cost effective option for sending money from Japan to South Africa.

Here are all the ways to send money from Japan to South Africa:

Bank transfers

The default option for sending money from Japan to South Africa is often a bank transfer.

Using a money transfer company, such as Regency FX for transfers from Japan to South Africa, allows for sending via a bank transfer while benefitting from lower fees and more favorable exchange rates. 


Debit and prepaid cards

Sending money from Japan to South Africa with a prepaid or debit card is easy with .


is a leader in accepting card payments for transfers between Japan and South Africa.

Credit cards

When it comes to international credit card transfers from Japan to South Africa, we recommend comparing your options to get the best deal.

Always choose providers that are regulated by financial authorities to ensure funds are safe when transferring from Japan to South Africa.

If you don’t know what the key regulatory bodies for money transfers are between Japan and South Africa, please refer to our directory of financial regulators worldwide.

Some services have limits on how much you can transfer from Japan to South Africa. This applies when receiving money in South Africa as well.

Different companies will offer different rates or lower fees for different transfer amounts.

For example, we recommend using Wise if you need to send large amounts of JPY to South Africa.

This being said, always check with the recipient and understand any declarations needed on large amounts of money leaving Japan, or entering South Africa.

There are different ways to receive money in South Africa. You can do a direct bank deposit, cash pickup, use a mobile wallet or receive money into a multi-currency account.

If you (or the recipient) want a direct transfer to your bank account, Wise is the best money transfer company for bank transfers between Japan and South Africa.

And if you need cash right away, check if cash pickup is an option for transfers between Japan and South Africa.

Mobile wallet services and payment apps like PayPal, Xoom, and CashApp are popular too, but they come with more limitations and higher costs compared to money transfer providers like Regency FX.

When you're sending or receiving money between Japan and South Africa, you have to be ready to show some ID.

The exact documents you need might vary. Usually in Japan this will be a government ID like a passport or driver's license. This will be similar if you need to open an account or collect cash in South Africa.

If you're making a big transaction between Japan and South Africa, a provider may ask you for proof of address or may want to know where your money comes from.

Wise is a great option for sending from Japan as the sign up process is pretty straightforward, even for larger transactions.

When sending large amounts of money between Japan to South Africa there will be tax implications to consider.

Some JPY-ZAR transfers may need to be reported to tax authorities, particularly where inheritance or property sales are involved.

Tax limits and personal allowances differ in South Africa based on age, income and a few other elements. When in doubt, please contact a tax professional in Japan or South Africa to discuss your personal circumstances.