So now you’re living in Japan as an expatriate, settled in your new apartment or house, and you’ve received your first electric bill. How do you pay it, and how do you calculate the bill to ensure you’re not being cheated? Ignoring the bill will certainly lead to a power cut, so paying it is the only option. Therefore, let’s explore how Japanese electric companies calculate the fee and your electricity bills.
Calculating the Bills
In Japan, electric companies operate similarly to those in the U.S. and probably other countries. They send a worker to check your meter for electricity usage every 30 days. Subsequently, they bill you based on your previous month’s usage. However, if you moved into an apartment in the middle of the month, they will pro-rate your bill from your move-in date to the next meter check. There is a base fee for electricity that must be paid every month, and it varies based on your usage. Consequently, the more electricity you use, the higher the base fee. Below is an example of a Japanese electricity bill. The numbers in the red box represent the amount due.
Paying
Now that you’ve reviewed the bill and seen the amount due, it’s time to pay. There are three ways to pay your electricity bill in Japan. The first method is automatic withdrawal from your bank account. To set this up, you need to send an “account transfer request” to the electric company, allowing them to withdraw funds automatically from your account to cover the bill. This method often comes with a discount. Alternatively, you can pay at a convenience store with cash. Your electric bill has a barcode on it. Take it to the convenience store, where they will scan the barcode, and you can pay the amount owed. Finally, you can pay with a credit card. This includes Visa and Mastercard and involves recurring monthly payments. Similar to the bank account method, you must fill out a credit card payment form to authorize the company to process the payment monthly.
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