Yes the bank account is hard. I still use my foreign account.

I setup my company and then got my bank account. I still don't use it.

I'm assuming anyone in this thread looking seriously at japan will be hiring the right operations person to help you. Otherwise, you can't get much done without speaking the language (day to day is fine,

but for example the immigration office expects you to know some japanese if not just bringing someone with you to help you)

I have three bank accounts and two credit cards and setting them all up was trivial. I'm self-employed. That's personal accounts though, I hear it's much more difficult for business accounts.

Shinsei was extremely easy to get a back account with. I applied online and sent in a few documents and was all setup.

Great info thanks! My experience comes from MUFG. Other data points are helpful.