For foreign nationals living in Japan
Your nationality does not stop you from opening a brokerage account in Japan. Your residency is what matters. If you live here and can prove it, you can open an account and join IPO lotteries on the same terms as anyone else.
US citizens, green card holders and US residents face restrictions on some products at Japanese brokers. SBI Securities restricts new purchases of certain products for these customers. This is a consequence of US tax reporting rules rather than a decision by the broker. Check the specific restrictions before you commit, because they vary between firms.
Application procedures differ by broker. At SBI Securities, accounts for foreign nationals are handled by postrather than through the fully online flow that Japanese nationals can use. Expect paper forms, and expect the process to take longer than the “open in minutes” marketing suggests.
The forms and the application screens are in Japanese. If you are not comfortable reading them, the terms you will meet are listed with English explanations on the English overview page.
If money is tight, start with a broker that does not require a deposit before you apply. You can enter lotteries at several brokers with the same money, and only pay if you win.
These pages are in Japanese. Whether each broker supports English documentation is something you should confirm with them directly — this site does not track it.
The requirements described here are taken from SBI Securities' published guidance as of August 2026 and are given as an example. Other brokers set their own rules, and rules change. Always confirm with the broker before applying. Nothing on this page is investment, tax or immigration advice.
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