1.
automatic withdrawal; automatic debit; direct debit
A banking arrangement where recurring payments such as rent, utilities, or subscriptions are automatically deducted from a bank account on a set schedule.
A banking term for automatic deduction of payments from a bank account. Extremely common in daily life in Japan for paying recurring bills such as rent, utilities, insurance, and subscriptions. The process typically requires filling out a form at the bank with the registered seal (届出印).
Common collocations
- 自動引き落としにする: to set up automatic withdrawal
- 自動引き落としの手続き: automatic withdrawal procedure
- 口座引き落とし: account debit (synonym)
Similar words
- 口座振替 — account transfer (often interchangeable in practice)
- 自動振込 — automatic bank transfer (funds sent to another account)
- 引き落とし — withdrawal/debit (the non-automatic version)
Cultural note
In Japan, automatic withdrawal is one of the most common payment methods for bills, alongside convenience store payment (コンビニ払い) and credit card payment.