Resona Bank has launched a currency exchange service at its Narita airport branch that does not require users to fill out forms, bank officials said Saturday.
The document-free currency exchange service is the first of its kind in Japan, though it is a standard practice overseas, according to Resona officials who have surveyed foreign airports.
The service, provided at the bank's satellite branch in the departure lobby of Narita, allows users to exchange yen for foreign currencies merely by submitting cash and telling the clerk the currency of their choice.
The bank launched the service as part of a drive to slash customer waiting time. Under the old system, those wanting to exchange money were required to state their names, telephone numbers and flight numbers on forms provided by the bank.
Resona launched the service on a trial basis in late February and made some improvements, such as installing microphones at the counter.
Resona, which benefited from a state-funded bailout package in 2003, has upheld several business revival plans, including eliminating customer waiting time.
The bank has also been reducing paperwork and reviewing some of its administrative procedures.