🏦 This is a brand hub for MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group) in Japan. For the bigger picture on Japanese ATM networks and why convenience stores beat bank branches, see the Japan Money Guide. For exact ATM addresses by neighborhood, see the Tokyo ATM Guide and Kyoto ATM Guide. For card acceptance and transport tips, see the Tokyo Money Guide or Kyoto Money Guide. Flying in? Narita (NRT) airport guide covers your first ATM stop.
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Order JPY → CEI Currency ExchangeThe 30-second answer: should tourists use MUFG ATMs?
No, almost never. MUFG (Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group) is Japan's largest bank by assets and the world's fifth-largest. It runs more than 700 branches in Japan, with prominent presences in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. The branch ATMs you will see at every street corner are configured for the domestic Japanese cash card system and reject most foreign-issued Visa, Mastercard, and Amex cards.
MUFG does run a small number of "international-enabled" ATMs at airports and a handful of flagship Tokyo branches. They work, but their hours are limited and the per-transaction limit is lower than Seven Bank's. There is no situation where finding an MUFG machine beats walking into a 7-Eleven.
This page is here for two reasons. First, so you stop wasting time looking for an MUFG branch on day one of your trip. Second, because some travelers (Union Bank customers, finance professionals researching Japanese banking, MUFG cardholders abroad) have specific reasons to know what MUFG does and does not do at the ATM level.
What the average MUFG ATM costs a foreign card
If you walk up to a typical MUFG branch ATM in, say, Marunouchi or Karasuma-Oike, here is what happens:
| Outcome | What the screen does | What it costs you |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign card rejected (most common) | "Sorry, this card cannot be used" message in Japanese, then ejects the card | ¥0, but you wasted 5 minutes |
| Card accepted, then DCC offered | Asks if you want to be charged in your home currency | 3–7% markup if you accept; ¥0 markup if you decline |
| Card accepted, no DCC (rare) | Standard withdrawal flow in English | ¥0–220 operator fee plus your home bank's foreign ATM fee |
The default outcome on a non-international MUFG machine is rejection. The international-enabled machines (see the next section) are the ones where withdrawal actually works.
Where MUFG ATMs do work for foreign cards
MUFG operates a sub-network of "international-enabled" ATMs that accept foreign Visa, Mastercard, and Plus/Cirrus network cards. These machines are clearly labeled in English and live in a small set of locations.
Narita Airport (NRT)
MUFG has a foreign-card-enabled ATM in Terminal 1's central building. Hours align with airport operations. The Seven Bank ATM in the same arrivals hall is faster, has higher limits, and never closes for maintenance during peak arrival times. Use Seven Bank.
Haneda Airport (HND)
Foreign-card-enabled MUFG machine in the international terminal arrivals area. Same logic as Narita: it works, but the Seven Bank inside the same hall is the better default.
Marunouchi (HQ)
MUFG's flagship branch near Tokyo Station has an international-card ATM in its lobby. Hours: roughly 9 AM–6 PM weekdays, closed Sundays. Useful only if you happen to be at Tokyo Station during business hours.
Shibuya / Shinjuku main branches
A small number of MUFG flagship branches have international-card machines, including Shibuya and Shinjuku Nishiguchi. Reports vary by traveler; assume "might work, might not." Treat these as backups, not destinations.
Standard branch ATMs (everywhere else)
The MUFG ATMs you see in residential neighborhoods, on Karasuma-dori in Kyoto, in Osaka office districts, etc. These are domestic-only. Foreign cards are usually rejected at the card-insertion step. Do not waste a trip.
MUFG ATMs in convenience stores
Some MUFG-branded ATMs appear inside Lawson and FamilyMart stores. These are typically not the same as Lawson Bank's own machines. If a screen says "MUFG" or "BTMU" instead of "Lawson Bank," foreign cards may not work. The white-and-blue Lawson Bank ATM is the one you want.
The Union Bank exception: why some US travelers care about MUFG
MUFG owned Union Bank, a US retail bank based in California, until selling it to US Bancorp in 2022. Some old MUFG cardholder benefits and US Union Bank account perks still partially apply at MUFG ATMs in Japan, although the integration has been winding down since the sale closed.
If you are a current US Bank customer (former Union Bank), check your account agreement for foreign ATM fee terms. Most "MUFG branch ATM in Japan = no foreign fee" arrangements ended with the Union Bank divestiture. For Bank of America, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo, and most other US bank customers, MUFG offers no fee benefit at all. The Global ATM Alliance does not have a Japanese member, which is why a no-FX-fee card paired with Seven Bank is the universal answer.
MUFG vs. Seven Bank: the numbers
For a tourist who just wants ¥30,000 in cash to start the trip, here is the head-to-head.
| MUFG (typical branch ATM) | Seven Bank (7-Eleven) | |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign card acceptance | Rejected at most branches | Visa, MC, Amex, JCB, Discover, UnionPay |
| Operator fee | ¥0–220 (when accepted) | ¥0 |
| Per-transaction limit | ¥50,000–100,000 | ¥100,000 |
| Hours | ~9 AM–6 PM weekdays, often closed weekends | 24 hours (with brief 3–4 AM maintenance window) |
| English interface | Japanese-only at most branch machines | English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese |
| Locations in Tokyo | ~5 international-enabled machines | 2,800+ 7-Elevens |
The card to actually use in Japan
MUFG does not offer a fee benefit to non-MUFG cardholders, and there is no Japanese member of the Global ATM Alliance. The cheapest path is a no-foreign-fee debit card paired with a 7-Eleven Seven Bank ATM.
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Get the Wise Card →If you bank with US Bank (former Union Bank)
Check your current account agreement for foreign ATM fee terms. Some legacy Union Bank perks at MUFG ATMs in Japan have been wound down since the 2022 divestiture, but a few may still apply for specific account tiers. Even with a fee waiver, Seven Bank is faster and open more hours; the only reason to seek out MUFG is if your card is part of a specific reciprocal program.
About MUFG: useful context
MUFG is a holding company that owns Mitsubishi UFJ Bank (the retail and commercial banking arm), MUFG Bank, Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation, and several other subsidiaries. Its origins go back to the Mitsubishi zaibatsu of the early 20th century, with a major restructuring after WWII and the modern MUFG entity formed by the 2006 merger of UFJ Holdings and Mitsubishi Tokyo Financial Group.
Internationally, MUFG owns about 20% of Morgan Stanley (through a 2008 strategic investment during the financial crisis), and operates branches in 50+ countries. In the US, MUFG Bank, Ltd. operates a New York branch focused on corporate banking. It does not run consumer ATMs for tourists in the way BNP Paribas does in France or Santander does in Spain.
For travelers, the practical takeaway is that MUFG is a wholesale and commercial banking giant whose retail Japan footprint is built around domestic salaried-worker accounts, not foreign visitors. The infrastructure that does serve foreign visitors (7-Eleven Seven Bank, Japan Post Bank, Lawson Bank) was built separately, after MUFG's branch ATM network was already in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do MUFG ATMs accept foreign cards?
Most do not. Standard MUFG branch ATMs are configured for the domestic Japanese cash card network and reject foreign-issued Visa, Mastercard, and Amex cards. The exceptions are MUFG's international-card-enabled ATMs at major airports and a small number of flagship Tokyo branches. For 99% of tourists, a 7-Eleven Seven Bank ATM is the right answer.
Where are MUFG's foreign-card-friendly ATMs in Tokyo?
The international-enabled MUFG machines are at Narita Airport, Haneda Airport, the Marunouchi headquarters branch near Tokyo Station, the Shibuya main branch, and the Shinjuku Nishiguchi branch. Even at these locations, hours are limited (usually 9 AM–6 PM weekdays, shorter or closed on weekends).
Is MUFG part of a global ATM alliance?
Not in the "Global ATM Alliance" sense (Bank of America, Barclays, Scotiabank, Westpac, Deutsche Bank, BNP Paribas). MUFG owned Union Bank in the US until selling it to US Bancorp in 2022, so some legacy Union Bank account terms still touch MUFG ATM access. There is no comparable benefit for Bank of America, Chase, or other US bank customers.
What is MUFG's ATM withdrawal limit?
On the few foreign-card-enabled MUFG machines, typically ¥50,000–100,000 per transaction. Lower than Seven Bank's ¥100,000 ceiling. Your home bank may impose a tighter daily cap.
Why does Japan have so many bank ATMs that don't work for tourists?
Japan's domestic banking infrastructure runs on a separate cash card network (BANCS, MICS) that was never integrated with international Visa/Plus or Mastercard/Cirrus rails. Standard branch ATMs at MUFG, SMBC, and Mizuho were built for domestic accounts only. Convenience store ATMs (Seven Bank, Lawson) were built later specifically to serve foreign visitors and the cashless retail surge.
Is MUFG the same as Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (BTMU)?
Yes, with a name change. BTMU was the old name of MUFG's retail and commercial bank. It was renamed MUFG Bank, Ltd. in 2018 to align with the parent group's branding. You will still see "BTMU" on older signage at branches and on some legacy documentation.
How does MUFG compare to SMBC for tourists?
Both are similar from a tourist's perspective: large domestic banks whose branch ATMs mostly reject foreign cards, with a small set of international-enabled machines at airports and flagship branches. SMBC tends to have slightly better English signage at major Tokyo and Osaka branches; MUFG has more international-enabled airport ATMs. Neither is a reason to skip Seven Bank.
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