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.
That's so interesting. I'm going to read up on how it is done in your country. Just goes to show you how many various solutions can be found to the same simple desire to move money around.