Medgya wrote:
> Well of course, what you should really do is ask your bank, but I can
> say that my experience abroad with a card from UFJ's predecessor,
> Sanwa, was just as CL describes. I walked in, showed them my card,
> they went into the back, huddled for a while, and then came out and
> told me that, really, their bank has no relationship to Sanwa Japan,
> so they couldn't honor my card. That seems pretty weird to me, even
> now. I mean... why would you license the NAME of a bank if there is no
> actual banking relationship? Maybe the connection only exists for
> investment or money laundering purposes? Or they licensed the name in
> order to lure in Japanese tourists? Not clear.

My Mizuho account with the American branch was the same ... I was unable 
to access my account from Japanese Mizuho branches.
KWW