I haven't seen a check since the 80ies, except one. Got one in return from some USSAnian scammer company. I was told by my bank I had to travel to USSA to cash it in. Would you be happy if you got a check which you had to travel to Japan to cash in? Probably cheaper to take the 5% option.
So your last experience with checks is from the 80s? Checks are electronically processed now. Also who called their bank? Why would the bank tell them limits for another customer?
I doubt any checks are processed at all in my country. The equipment was probably rusted away in a basement and thrown away 20 years ago. We use plastic cards instead. Probably the same in Japan. How do you print a check in a country where checks don't exist? The bank would have to redeem it somehow, wouldn't it?
The person who called their bank reported directly in this thread. Just a few pages back. I suggest you ask the person who called the bank if he would be able to get the same information for other customers.