For people who have just landed (or are about to) and need a Japanese phone number for the bank, the ward office and deliveries — or who want to replace a pricey airport SIM. We compare the big carriers' online brands (ahamo, povo, LINEMO), budget brands with shops (UQ mobile, Rakuten Mobile) and the English-first providers you can order before you arrive (Sakura Mobile, Mobal, GTN Mobile).
Last verified 12 October 2026 against the providers' official pages.
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Rakuten Mobile
Network: Rakuten (own network + au roaming)
ENJATR
from ¥1,078/mo
Best for: Anyone who wants one simple plan that scales with usage, free domestic calls through an app, and shops to walk into when something goes wrong.
Data at that price
3 GBUp to 3 GB ¥1,078 · 3–20 GB ¥2,178 · unlimited ¥3,278 — the tier is set by what you actually use each month.
Calls
Unlimited domestic calls via the Rakuten Link app; ¥22/30 s on the normal dialer
Activation fee
FreeSIM reissue ¥3,300; eSIM reissue free
Minimum term
No minimum
Pay with
Japanese credit card · Debit card · Bank account debit (口座振替)
eSIM
Yes
Order before arrival
No
Support
Shops nationwide + online (eKYC in about 3 minutes)
What you need to apply
Residence card with your current address printed on it
Japanese credit/debit card or bank account for billing
Aged 18 or over
Email address
Support languages: English site and online application; phone and chat support are Japanese; some shops have multilingual staff.
Watch out for
• Lines started on or after 1 April 2025 and cancelled within a year pay a fee of up to ¥1,078.
• Online identity check reads the IC chip of your residence card: if the address is not on the chip (cards issued without an address, or new-format cards issued on or after 14 June 2026) you must apply in a shop.
• Rakuten's own network is still thinner indoors and underground; it roams on au in partner areas.
ahamo (NTT docomo)
Network: docomo
ENJATR
from ¥2,970/mo
Best for: People who read Japanese (or are happy with browser translation), want docomo's coverage and 30 GB with short calls included, and never need a shop.
Data at that price
30 GB30 GB with 5-minute calls and tethering included; +¥1,980 'large' option for 110 GB until 30 November 2026.
Calls
First 5 minutes of each call free, then ¥22/30 s; unlimited +¥1,100/mo
Activation fee
Free
Minimum term
No minimum
Pay with
Japanese credit card · Bank account debit (口座振替)
eSIM
Yes
Order before arrival
No
Support
Online only (chat), Japanese
What you need to apply
Residence card with your current address printed on it
Japanese credit/debit card or bank account for billing
Email address
Aged 18 or over
Support languages: Site, app and chat support are Japanese only; docomo suggests using browser translation.
Watch out for
• Your current address must be printed on the FRONT of the residence card; new-format cards issued on or after 14 June 2026 and My Number-integrated cards cannot be used online — go to a partner electronics store.
• From 1 December 2026 the plan is restructured into tiers (up to 40 GB ¥3,135 / 60 GB ¥4,125 / 120 GB ¥5,115) — check which applies before you sign.
• Contracts from 1 July 2025 pay ¥1,100 if cancelled within a year; help at a docomo shop costs ¥3,300.
povo 2.0 (KDDI / au)
Network: au
ENJATR
from ¥990/mo
Best for: Light users and people who want a ¥0 Japanese number to keep as a backup, buying data only when they need it — and the only carrier brand that works without a credit card (via Paidy).
Data at that price
3 GBBase plan ¥0, then data 'toppings': 1 GB/7 days ¥390 · 3 GB/30 days ¥990 · 30 GB/30 days ¥2,780 · 24-hour unlimited ¥330. ¥990 is the cheapest practical month.
Residence card with your current address printed on it
More than 3 months left on your period of stay
A payment method (see "Pay with")
Email address
Support languages: Information pages in English, Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese, but the app (where everything happens) is Japanese; English support not confirmed.
Watch out for
• 180-day rule: with no paid topping (or less than ¥660 of use) in 180 days the line is suspended, and terminated 30 days later.
• Identity check reads the residence card's IC chip; the card needs at least 90 days remaining and an address — 'undecided' addresses cannot proceed.
• Base speed without a topping is 128 kbps; the au network may throttle at peak times.
LINEMO (SoftBank)
Network: SoftBank
ENJATR
from ¥990/mo
Best for: Japanese readers on a tight budget who use little data: ¥990 for up to 3 GB on SoftBank's network, with a debit card or bank account accepted.
Data at that price
3 GBBest Plan: up to 3 GB ¥990, 3–10 GB ¥2,090 (slowed beyond); Best Plan V: 30 GB ¥2,970 with 5-minute calls.
Japanese credit card · Debit card · Bank account debit (口座振替)
eSIM
Yes
Order before arrival
No
Support
Online only, Japanese
What you need to apply
Residence card (在留カード)
Passport
Japanese credit/debit card or bank account for billing
Email address
Aged 18 or over
Support languages: Application and support are Japanese only; no shops.
Watch out for
• ¥3,850 activation fee (often waived in campaigns — check before you apply).
• Cancelling within 12 months costs ¥990 (Best Plan) or ¥1,100 (Best Plan V).
• New-format residence cards issued on or after 14 June 2026 cannot be read by the app — choose 'verify on delivery' instead.
UQ mobile (KDDI)
Network: au
ENJATR
from ¥3,828/mo
Best for: People who want in-person help at au shops and a big bundle (35 GB with 10-minute calls) on the au network, and don't mind paying more for it.
Data at that price
35 GBKomikomi Plan Value: 35 GB + 10-minute calls ¥3,828 (¥3,168 for the first 13 months on new lines). Tokutoku Plan 2: 30 GB ¥4,048 before discounts.
Calls
10-minute calls included on Komikomi; otherwise ¥22/30 s; unlimited ¥1,980/mo
Activation fee
¥3,850¥4,950 when you sign up in a shop
Minimum term
No minimum
Pay with
Japanese credit card · Bank account debit (口座振替)
eSIM
Yes
Order before arrival
No
Support
au Style / au shops and UQ spots nationwide + online
What you need to apply
Residence card (在留カード)
Passport
Japanese credit/debit card or bank account for billing
Aged 18 or over
Support languages: English, Chinese and Portuguese guide pages and PDFs; the application and most shop staff are Japanese.
Watch out for
• Activation fee ¥3,850 online / ¥4,950 in a shop (since 1 August 2026); cancelling within a year costs ¥1,100 for lines from 1 October 2025.
• The advertised cheaper tiers (from ¥1,628) only apply with home-internet and au PAY card discounts; paying by bank account needs at least 90 days left on your period of stay.
• Foreign residents cannot take 60/72-month handset instalments; an 'undecided' address needs a supporting document.
Sakura Mobile
Network: docomo (MVNO)
ENJATR
from ¥3,278/mo
Best for: Newcomers who want a Japanese number waiting at the airport, English support throughout, and a foreign card for payment — and will pay a premium for the convenience.
Data at that price
5 GBVoice + data 5 GB ¥3,278 · 15 GB ¥3,828 · 30 GB ¥4,378 · up to 100 GB ¥12,078; data-only from ¥2,728. Unused data rolls over; you are slowed, not cut off, past the cap.
Calls
Outgoing ¥16.5/30 s, incoming free
Activation fee
¥5,500−¥1,100 with a student coupon
Minimum term
No minimum
Pay with
Foreign credit card · Debit card
eSIM
Yes
Order before arrival
Yes
Support
English helpdesk; airport counters and Shinjuku pickup
What you need to apply
Passport
Credit or debit card — cards issued abroad accepted
Email address
Support languages: Everything — site, contract, helpdesk — in English.
Watch out for
• ¥5,500 activation (−¥1,100 with a student coupon) and a higher price per GB than the carrier brands.
• Month-to-month: cancel by the 25th and the line ends that month.
• It is an MVNO on docomo's network, so speeds can dip at busy hours.
Mobal
Network: docomo (MVNO)
ENJATR
from ¥1,650/mo
Best for: People who want a voice number before they land with nothing but a passport — free worldwide shipping, no contract, and most profits go to charity.
¥4,950Price of the SIM/eSIM itself; no separate activation fee
Minimum term
No minimum
Pay with
Foreign credit card · Debit card
eSIM
Yes
Order before arrival
Yes
Support
English email/chat; shipped worldwide or picked up in Japan
What you need to apply
Passport
Credit or debit card — cards issued abroad accepted
Email address
Aged 18 or over
Support languages: English support by email and chat; no shops.
Watch out for
• The SIM or eSIM itself costs ¥4,950 up front and must be activated by the end of the second month after dispatch.
• Domestic outgoing calls are ¥44/min — pricey if you call a lot.
• eSIM access codes come by post or pickup, not email.
GTN Mobile
Network: docomo / SoftBank / Rakuten (varies by plan)
ENJATR
from ¥1,200/mo
Best for: Newcomers with no credit card and no Japanese bank account yet: pay at a convenience store, get support in 13 languages, and pick up at the airport.
Eazy ¥22/30 s, optional 10-minute unlimited ¥858/mo; Blaze ¥27.5/30 s
Activation fee
¥3,300
Minimum term
No minimum
Pay with
Convenience store / cash · Japanese credit card · Bank account debit (口座振替)
eSIM
Yes
Order before arrival
Yes
Support
13-language helpdesk; stores in Tokyo and Osaka; airport pickup
What you need to apply
Passport
A payment method (see "Pay with")
Email address
Support languages: Support in 13 languages including English; stores in Shin-Okubo (Tokyo) and Osaka.
Watch out for
• The network differs by plan (Eazy = docomo, 5G Blaze = SoftBank, Unlimited = Rakuten eSIM); Blaze has no number porting, no iOS tethering and no roaming.
• The headline 'from ¥650' needs an EPOS card plus a GTN home-internet bundle — the real floor is ¥1,200.
• GTN's identity-requirements page was unreachable on the verification date; confirm which ID they need for your case.
What to bring
Everything at least one of the options shown asks for — gather these and any of them can go ahead.
Passport5 of 8
Residence card (在留カード)2 of 8
Residence card with your current address printed on it3 of 8
More than 3 months left on your period of stay1 of 8
Email address7 of 8
Japanese credit/debit card or bank account for billing4 of 8
Credit or debit card — cards issued abroad accepted2 of 8
A payment method (see "Pay with")2 of 8
Aged 18 or over5 of 8
How we checked this
We have no commercial relationship with these providers; links are not affiliate links. Prices are tax-included yen as published on the providers' pages on the verification date and can change at any time — check the official page before you sign up.
