A bank transfer in this complicated country?

Generally speaking, money transfers between a postal account and another bank's account has been possible for some time already, provided you get the postal account number converted to one that is compatible with what other banks use.

Bank transfer from a post office to an account at another bank in Japan is only possible if you have a certain special type of JP Bank account (総合口座); it is not even possible if you have an ordinary JP Bank account, much less in cash.

And also...

It is just not helpful for Cristina, because she is trying to do a "cash" transfer, without any bank ATM card, which is not possible from a postal bank.

This was obviously not intended to answer the original question, but a subsequent one about why it is possible to pay for some things (such as bills) in cash at a post office but not to transfer to an arbitrary bank account.

Firas,

Your first comment in response to my answer about Postal Bank - it is that 総合口座 that people usually hold... and postal bank to another bank transfer WITH an account/card is possible generally. That is what I mean (but not with cash).

Your second answer to me, noted. But please do not chop up my answer to make it look like I suggested that "cash" money transfer was possible from postal bank to another bank.

It because of crimes and abuses that cash transfers have become much more restricted over recent years. Frankly, I am surprised that it is possible at all.

Also, if i do manage to get this done, should I expect to be asked for an ID? I am doing this for a friend who is not in Japan and her name needs to show up as the sender.

Good luck with that!

I think they call that money laundering...

Keep in mind, it is not that unusual to have a different person named on the transaction besides the account holder (or payer) when making bank transfers in Japan. Lots of benign reasons for this to occur that are not money laundering.

Many thanks to everyone who helped! I will try a few things to get this done.

Have you seen my message at the bottom of page 1?