My boss and 2 of my friends are trying everything in their power to help me right now, but they will not budge.
What happened : I made an account with them almost 2 years ago. I used my debit card to sign up, but I've never used it to pay. They have always sent me konbini slips. So, a few weeks ago when I had to get a new card, they stopped sending me the slips. I'm training at a new job and didn't realize I hadn't got one in a bit. Then I get an email notice saying to fill out a request to have a new konbini slip sent, and to call an English speaking telephone number to fix it. I was on the phone 3 different times for 2 hours in the afternoon today, and they disconnected me 3 seperate times. I am convinced there is never going to be someone to answer the phone, but I am going to have to try again tomorrow. So anyway, I brought the email to them today and showed it to them, but the manager wouldnt listen to me, and wouldn't read my google translated messages. I tried my best to speak Japanese, but just waves my phone away and says "No. Come back with a person who speaks Japanese"
So I come back with my friend. He talks with them and my friend tells me they are saying that they basically want to force me to do an automatic bank transfer (which I don't want to do) and they are saying they don't accept konbini slips (which is a lie) I ask them if I can pay there by swiping my card or use cash, and they say no to both. Then I get my boss who's a native speaker to talk to them, and HE says that they are saying I have been paying wrong the whole time, and the konbini slips were a mistake. My boss says they are definitely lying. ( I'm scraping by, and I always split my bills between my US and Japan accounts to save money )
They finally say that the only way I can pay them is through their app, which I have never used. I try to download it, but it "isn't available in my region" because my phone is American. Then they tell me that I had better pay soon, because my disconnection is imminent, and I WILL BE BLACKLISTED FOR DELINQUENCY ACROSS MULTIPLE COMPANIES IF THEY HAVE TO SHUT MY SERVICES OFF.
So, the staff at this company have zero concern for my situation, and are absolutely unwilling to help, but alas, I am going to have to return to the white room of torture tomorrow morning with my friend Kiwako who offered to help out of the kindness of her heart. I am planning to show them the email again, and also try to call the number again while I'm there, but I am more than certain it is going to be the same exact situation, and I don't know what to do. I teach English online, and I need my internet to do my job and earn money, and without a phone I'm just as badly fucked. Does anyone have advice on what I should say/do/bring in the morning? I'm planning to bring my JP bank book, my zairyu card of course, and my router
by JayDunzo
11 comments
First, you can download it you just have to change your region.
Second, what the heck is your question and this giant backstory that doesn’t really help provide any context?
>I teach English online, and I need my internet to do my job and earn money, and without a phone I’m just as badly fucked. Does anyone have advice on what I should say/do/bring in the morning? I’m planning to bring my JP bank book, my zairyu card of course, and my router
Are you talking about Rakuten mobile or their internet?
Either way, it would be wise to either sign up for direct debit or card charging. They actually are pretty discouraging of conbini slips — to the point that they often charge for sending them.
Either way, the answer is to sign up for automatic payments. I’ve read your wall-of-text three times and don’t quite understand why that isn’t an option.
>I’m scraping by, and I always split my bills between my US and Japan accounts to save money
Are you not declaring the income you earn from people paying your US account? In that case you have bigger problems (tax fraud).
Assuming you are using apple device : Easy way – you can either change your region in your account or create a new apple account in (region)japan – login with that in app store and you can download the app and pay.
Why are you so against a bank transfer?
You didn’t actually mention what service it was, but if it’s Rakuten Mobile or Rakuten ひかり then they’re not lying and you have been paying wrong the whole time. You can’t set konbini slips as a payment method because the konbini slip is them invoicing you for late/non-payment through the allowed payment methods.They also charge a nice fee for the trouble so if money is tight you should really try to avoid that.
Maybe payment slips were actually bills past due date? They try to charge it using debit card, it doesn’t work. Then they send you the konbini slip.
Bank transfer is the default method of payment on a set date. You getting slips in the mail means your payment was PAST DUE. They clearly got tired of your shit
Direct debit from your bank account is the easiest, safest, most foolproof way to pay your bills. Why are you so allergic to it?
You say you signed up for this Rakuten… Service… using a debit card. They ask you for that card because that’s your method of payment. If you haven’t been paying with the debit card, that means you HAVEN’T BEEN PAYING your bill. Assuming you are talking about Rakuten Mobile, they only send conbini slips for LATE PAYMENTS.
They are annoyed with you because you have been paying your bill late every month for the entire time you’ve had the service. Of course they are going to threaten to cut you off unless you change payment methods, because you haven’t been paying with the one you signed up with.
Required Reading Material:
https://network.mobile.rakuten.co.jp/guide/payment/invoice/flow/
As numerous others have commented, pay via bank transfer – this and credit card are the default options and paying at conbini means you were late.
Also, just to add, this kind of stuff makes it difficult for other foreigners in the future….
The OP signed up for Rakuten Mobile using a debit card as the payment method.
Either there were insufficient funds in the linked account, or for some other reason the debit-card payment wasn’t processed correctly.
Every month a late-payment notice was sent. The OP assumed it was the first invoice, but in reality it was a notice for overdue payments.
After continuing like that for several months, they have already stepped onto (or are already on) Rakuten’s blacklist — their service is now at the point of suspension or contract termination.
If it’s possible to change the payment method and make the payments, they should do so. In fact, other carriers might even refuse to enter a contract because of prior delinquency.
By the way, Rakuten Mobile does not accept cash payments. They only accept: “credit/debit card,” “bank transfer (direct debit),” “cash on delivery,” and “Rakuten Points.” Cash on delivery is basically only available for product purchases (for example, a phone purchased from Rakuten Mobile).
Invoices for convenience store payments are issued only for late fees.
There’s a reason Rakuten warns about using overseas mobile phones.
In Japan, use of data communication, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth is only authorized for devices that have obtained the Giteki mark (technical conformity certification). The Giteki mark is the symbol shown on devices that have been certified under either (or both) the “technical conformity certification” or the “technical conformity accreditation” as defined by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.
For users who do not hold a radio station license, using a smartphone or tablet that lacks the Giteki mark is a violation of the Radio Law. (For electronic devices brought into Japan by foreign tourists, rules have been put in place so that, if certain conditions under the Radio Law are met, data communication, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth can be used for up to 90 days from entry.)
Using a device without the Giteki mark can unknowingly interfere with other people’s communications or cause radio interference; in such cases one may face imprisonment or fines. However, because it’s usually difficult to check, the issue often falls into a gray area.
Carriers like NTT Docomo, au, SoftBank, and Rakuten do not recommend using non-Giteki devices, and they may refuse to contract with you if you inform them that you will use such a device—because if the carrier accepts the contract knowing about it, the company itself could be penalized. Telling them you’re using an overseas phone is therefore effectively giving them information that puts you at a disadvantage.
Change the location of your app store. Set it to Japan, and you can download the app
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