Interactive Broker Account Opening: Should I have to select Japanese Market while opening IB account from Japan.

[tenagazaru]

Hi All,

I'm quite new to this platform and investments. I was reading some of the threads and became interested to open an Interactive broker account.

While trying to open an individual account there is two option to choose from. [Refere the screenshot]
1. International Markets
2. Japanese Markets

I just want to invest in International Markets using IB. No plan to invest in the Japanese Market.
Since I'm currently residing in Japan(neither Japanese nor US citizen), is it mandatory to select Japanese Markets?
If I just what to transfer JPY to the IBLLC account, will there be an issue?

Thank you in advance and Happy new year!

[RetireJapan]

Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on getting started

Ask as many questions as you need to, doing investing and personal finance well will change your life.

If you don't want to trade Japanese markets, just choose international and open the US-based account.

You probably know already, but there are some advantages to using a Japanese broker, including preferential tax treatment, reduced tax paperwork, etc.

Reasons not to use a Japanese broker: being American (you are not), not being able to use Japanese enough to get through opening an account, planning to leave Japan in the short- to medium-term, wanting advanced functionality not offered by Japanese brokers (trading options, etc).

[tenagazaru]

Thank you so much for the answers.

My current plan is to stay in Japan until 2024. I am not quite sure that I will stay in Japan after that.

I planned as follows after reading some post in the forum here:

1. Open a Tsumitate-NISA account using Rakuten-Securities to get tax-free investments. Buy eMaxis Slim series ETF's. When leaving Japan, cash them.
2. Open IB account to invest in ETF and Mutual funds in the International market. Since I don't have to cash them when leaving Japan.

I don't know if this is the right way to plan investment based on my circumstances.

[RetireJapan]

My current plan is to stay in Japan until 2024. I am not quite sure that I will stay in Japan after that.

I planned as follows after reading some post in the forum here:

1. Open a Tsumitate-NISA account using Rakuten-Securities to get tax-free investments. Buy eMaxis Slim series ETF's. When leaving Japan, cash them.
2. Open IB account to invest in ETF and Mutual funds in the International market. Since I don't have to cash them when leaving Japan.

That sounds very reasonable to me! Anyone else?