JP Bank and SWIFT

I went to the big JP Bank here in town in order to make an international transfer from my JP Bank account to my US Bank account. The US bank had given me all the necessary wiring information, which included their SWIFT code. However, the JP Bank woman refused to let me put the SWIFT code on the transfer application form, insisting instead that I just needed the US Bank's ABA Number. That made me a bit nervous since the US Bank representative clearly told me to include the SWIFT code.

Has anyone dealt with this type issue? If so, advice, please.

This shouldn't be an issue, as long as the ABA corresponds to the correct SWIFT code.

I hear you. However, my US "bank" is actually not a bank but rather a credit union, and while the credit union has an ABA number, money that is sent to them via ABA needs to go through an intermediary institution to get to the credit union via ABA, whereas with SWIFT the money can go directly to the credit union.

The Japanese JP Bank knows about SWIFT, and for countries other than the USA, they say they will accept a SWIFT number on their application form. But they say that since I'm sending to a US bank, I can only write down ABA, not SWIFT.

Seems odd to me...

from my opinion, you seem odd.
although the money is yours, you are not responsible for the result of paperwork at the bank except for your faults.
you should write the necessary information which they request you !
that is all you HAVE TO do.
if not work well, they will take care to solve the problem, because you fill the information they request.
that is Japanese way.
I know US banks are not so reliable. sometimes (often ? or always ?) you have to take care to solve problems, even after you follow their directions. In Japan, once the bank accepts the form, after that, all responsibility is in the bank. those international transactions will not be operated at each branch. those will be collected to one section and transactions will be done by some specialists who take those operations everyday. if the form is improperly accepted, it will be sent back to the branch and you will be informed.
if your money is lost unfortunately (highly unlikely), I am sure that they will compensate you.

https://www.jp-bank.japanpost.jp/kojin/sokin/kokusou/kj_sk_ks_usa.html
受取銀行の「銀行コード（ABA；頭が0-3で始まる9桁の数字）」または「英語表記による銀行名、都市名、州名」をご記入ください。銀行コード（ABA）を記載した場合は、「英語表記による銀行名、都市名、州名」は省略できます。銀行コードが不明な場合は、「英語表記による銀行名、都市名、州名」をご記入ください。
※ABAは、American Banker's Associationの略であり、Routing Number 、Fedwire Code またはTransit Number ともいいます。

One of the problems with this forum is that ignorant people feel the need to comment on topics they do not comprehend.

When wiring money overseas from Japan, money sometimes must pass through one or more intermediary financial institutions（仕向先銀行）before it can reach the beneficiary financial institution (受取人講座保有銀行) . And each intermediary financial institution typically charges a fee. The bank doesn't pay that fee. I have to pay for any extra fees, such as a コルレス手数料.

However, with SWIFT, the money is supposed to go directly to beneficiary institution, bypassing the intermediaries and the extra fees. That is very quick -- that's why it's called SWIFT -- and it saves me money!

My credit union overseas sent me specific wiring instructions that included the SWIFT number, and they told me to include the SWIFT information for a direct transfer. Those were the credit union's instructions.

If the Japanese bank doesn't include the SWIFT number, they don't pay the extra fees. I do. And the transfer is slower.

You wrote:
if not work well, they will take care to solve the problem, because you fill the information they request. that is Japanese way... In Japan, once the bank accepts the form, after that, all responsibility is in the bank.

That is not true. In addition to having had to pay extra fees, I have had trouble wiring money from a Japanese bank before. The bank employee messed up and my wire was returned. The bank never apologized. They never took responsibility. And they never refunded me any money for the fees that their mistake cost me.

If you do not have helpful advice, please do not post anything.

If you do not have helpful advice, please do not post anything.

Or else?