Getting a Japanese phone number when you have just arrived

Last reviewed 27 July 2026 · Always confirm with the relevant office

There is a genuine chicken-and-egg problem in your first month. Banks want a Japanese phone number. Phone carriers want a Japanese bank account or credit card. Landlords want both.

Breaking the loop

The usual way through is an MVNO — a budget carrier running on one of the big three networks. Many accept payment by international credit card, which removes the bank account requirement entirely.

Some also offer eSIM, which means you can be connected before you have a physical address to receive a card at. If you are arriving without accommodation settled, that is worth arranging in advance.

What you will be asked for

• Residence card — with a validity period longer than the contract, which catches people on short initial visas
• Passport
• A Japanese address
• A payment method — Japanese bank account, Japanese credit card, or for MVNOs often an international card

Voice line versus data-only

Data-only SIMs are cheaper and easier to obtain, but a voice line with a real 090/080/070 number is what banks, landlords and employers actually want. Data-only plus an internet calling app will get you online, and then fail at the bank counter.

If you only do one thing here: get a voice line, even if the data allowance is small. You can change plan later. You cannot open a bank account with an app-based number.

The big three versus MVNOs

Docomo, au and SoftBank have better coverage in edge cases, physical shops with staff, and more paperwork. MVNOs are cheaper and more forgiving of new arrivals, but support is usually online and in Japanese.

A common pattern is starting on an MVNO to break the loop, then switching once a bank account exists. Number portability between carriers is straightforward.

The phrases

• SIMカードを契約したいです。 — SIM kādo o keiyaku shitai desu. — I would like to sign up for a SIM card.
• 音声通話付きのプランはありますか？ — Onsei tsūwa tsuki no puran wa arimasu ka? — Do you have a plan with a voice line?
• 海外のクレジットカードは使えますか？ — Kaigai no kurejitto kādo wa tsukaemasu ka? — Can I use an overseas credit card?

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