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Set Up in Japan Plain answers. Real life. Updated October 2026Ad · Affiliate links
Four plans here run no credit check: Mobal, Sakura Mobile, Lyprimo and Sunsyscon. Which plan you can get depends on the ID you already have, how you can pay, and whether you can pass a contract check. Answer below to see the option that fits and what it costs.
Pick the closest answer. You can compare every option further down the page.
Pick the answer closest to you, and the SIM that fits appears here.
Collect a SIM with a Japanese number the same day at an airport or station counter, with a physical passport. Plans with data start at ¥1,650 a month; voice-only ¥1,430. The SIM is ¥4,950. Payment is by card or PayPal, and support is in English by email. Mobal told a mystery shopper it runs no credit check.
See MobalMost eSIMs sold to visitors are data only, with no Japanese number. Mobal and Sakura Mobile both sell an eSIM with a number. Mobal does not email it: it posts an access code to the address on your ID, abroad too, or you collect the code at a pickup point in Japan with your passport. It costs ¥4,950, then from ¥1,650 a month. Sakura Mobile sends the eSIM by email or hands it over at pickup, depending on your ID. With only a passport, you collect it at an airport counter or its Shinjuku office. It costs ¥5,500, then from ¥3,278 a month. Both take card payment. We have not yet checked which other plans here offer an eSIM.
Compare Mobal and Sakura MobileSakura Mobile handles sign-up, support and billing in English and takes credit or debit cards issued abroad. It told a mystery shopper in writing that there is no credit check. Plans with a number cost ¥3,278 to ¥12,078 a month, plus a ¥5,500 activation fee. If your residence card was issued on or after 14 June 2026, you collect the SIM in person.
See Sakura MobileGoen Mobile takes bank debit after a first bank transfer, but its online check cannot accept residence cards issued from 14 June 2026. It also needs 3 months left on your stay and supports customers in Japanese only. With a newer card, use Lyprimo instead: it confirmed the new card works and takes convenience-store payment or bank transfer.
Compare the no-card routesLyprimo is prepaid with no credit screening, and you can pay at a convenience store. The first purchase is ¥7,000 plus ¥880 shipping. You need a residence card for its online ID check, and support is in Japanese only.
See LyprimoSunsyscon does not run credit screening and asks for a residence card plus your passport photo page. It takes bank transfer, bank account debit or convenience store payment, and has no English support.
See SunsysconBoth include a Japanese number, screen applications and take only a credit card in your own name. LIBMO supports customers in Japanese only. DTI SIM has no minimum term. If your residence card was issued on or after 14 June 2026, check the online verification tracker first.
See the monthly plansYour visitor installs it before leaving home and has mobile data on arrival. It has no Japanese phone number, and the phone must support eSIM.
See the data eSIMCommon starting points, picked on whether you can sign up and whether you get a Japanese number. Plans differ in data and length, so none of these is picked on price.
Only a passport so far, support in English
Pick up with a passport, before you have a residence card
Order a Mobal SIM for pickup or delivery
Help in English, paying with a card from home
Sign up in English with a card from home, no credit check
Sign up for Sakura Mobile in English
No credit card or bank account
No carrier credit check
Get a prepaid SIM with no credit check
Japanese button: “No screening! Prepaid phones and SIMs from [Lyprimo]” Opens Lyprimo's site (Japanese)
Monthly plan if you can pass a contract check
A regular monthly plan for long stays
Get a monthly plan with a Japanese number
Japanese button: “For a low-cost SIM, [LIBMO]” Opens LIBMO's site (Japanese)
Plan prices and promotions change often. Open the provider's page for the current price before applying.
| Provider | Best for | Japanese number | Credit check | Commitment | Full review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobal Monthly SIM and eSIM, docomo network | No residence card yet | Yes Every voice plan | None | No minimum term | Full review |
| Sakura Mobile Monthly SIM and eSIM, docomo network | English support, card from home | Yes 070, 080 or 090 on Voice+Data plans | None Its written reply to a mystery shopper, 17 September 2026 | No minimum term (its reply to a mystery shopper) | Full review |
| Lyprimo Prepaid SIM | No credit history | Yes Voice plans only | None Source | Prepaid | Details |
| Goen Mobile Monthly SIM | No credit card | Yes Voice SIM | Screened Screening stated; not said whether it is a credit check | 2-month minimum | Details |
| Sunsyscon (サンシスコン) Rental phone + SIM | No credit history | Yes 070, 080 or 090 (its reply to a mystery shopper) | None No credit screening, but photo ID required | Rental | Details |
| LIBMO Monthly SIM | Long-term residents | Yes Voice SIM plans | Required | Monthly plan | Details |
| DTI SIM Monthly SIM | Long-term residents | Yes 070, 080 or 090 on voice plans | Screened Screening stated before the SIM ships | No minimum term | Details |
| JAPAN & GLOBAL eSIM eSIM | Short visits | No Source | None stated Prepaid; the shop may ask for ID | Prepaid | Details |
Prices include tax unless the cell says otherwise. Each figure links the provider page it came from and the day we read it.
| Provider | Price | Upfront costs | Leaving early | Phone number and SMS | Accepted ID | Payment | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobal Monthly SIM and eSIM, docomo network | ¥1,650 a month for 1GB to ¥5,280 for 50GB with a phone number. 100GB and 200GB after the first month Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | ¥4,950 for the SIM or eSIM. No activation fee The SIM Card page and the eSIM page each show ¥4,950, paid today. Provider page, read October 13, 2026 | No minimum term or termination fee. The last month is charged in full Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | A 070, 080 or 090 number. Calls ¥44 a minute, SMS ¥33. Incoming free No Wi-Fi calling or MMS. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Credit screening: noneJune 2026 residence card: accepted online Passport at a pickup point. For delivery in Japan: residence card, My Number card or Japanese driver's license, including cards issued from 14 June 2026 Mobal's written replies of 21 and 22 September 2026. The ID must show your name and the delivery address, matching the order. Pickup needs only the passport. Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 23, 2026 | Credit or debit card, or PayPal. No cash Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | English No phone or chat support is offered on the product pages. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 |
| Sakura Mobile Monthly SIM and eSIM, docomo network | ¥3,278 a month for 5GB to ¥12,078 for 100GB with a phone number. Calls and SMS extra Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | ¥5,500 activation fee, charged when the application completes Students get ¥1,100 off with the code studentdiscount. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Cancel by the 25th to end the contract that month. The last month is billed in full Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Calls ¥16.5 per 30 seconds, SMS ¥5.5. Incoming calls and SMS free SMS rate from the help center: "Outgoing SMS: 5.5 JPY per 160 characters". Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Credit screening: noneJune 2026 residence card: not accepted online Residence card, My Number card or Japanese driver's license online. Passport with in-person pickup Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Credit or debit card, including foreign cards. No bank transfer or prepaid cards Cash at convenience stores is possible with a ¥20,000 deposit for Voice+Data. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | English for applications, support and account management Provider page, read September 17, 2026 |
| Lyprimo Prepaid SIM | ¥7,000 first purchase: calls plus 2GB over two months. Extending costs ¥3,980 for 1GB First-purchase price from lyprimo.jp/detail/?id=3. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | ¥880 shipping Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | No cancellation fee. Minimum use is one month Lyprimo's terms also mention a charge for an unreturned SIM without giving the amount. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | A new 090, 080 or 070 number Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Credit screening: noneJune 2026 residence card: accepted online Residence card accepted online, including cards issued from 14 June 2026. Foreign passports only in person at its Tokyo shop Lyprimo's written reply. The online check reads the card's chip or uses JPKI (since 1 April 2026). Passport applications: Takadanobaba shop, weekdays 10:00 to 18:00. Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026 | Credit card, bank transfer or convenience store Lyprimo says cards issued outside Japan basically work, but the issuer can block the payment; then pay at a convenience store or by bank transfer. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Japanese only, by phone and email Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026 |
| Goen Mobile Monthly SIM | ¥1,628 a month for 3GB with a voice SIM. ¥1,078 for calls only Prices shown include tax. The rest of the month you activate in is free. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | ¥3,850 contract fee, paid before the SIM ships Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Minimum 2 months. No cancellation fee and no fee to move your number out Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026 | Voice SIM with a phone number. Calls ¥22 per 30 seconds Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Application screening: stated; credit check: unknownJune 2026 residence card: not accepted online Residence card accepted, checked on your smartphone and again at delivery. Cards issued from 14 June 2026 do not work for a web application yet Older-design residence cards are accepted (goen-mobile.com/guide/preparation/). Its reply to a mystery shopper: at least 3 months must remain on your period of stay. Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 18, 2026 | Bank account debit or credit card, in your own name. The first payment is a bank transfer Goen Mobile says a card issued outside Japan works if it registers at signup. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Japanese only Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026 |
| Sunsyscon (サンシスコン) Rental phone + SIM | ¥3,278 a month for 3GB with unlimited calls, paying by bank account debit. ¥4,278 by bank transfer, ¥4,608 at a convenience store Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | ¥5,500 SIM card fee (its handling fee). Its fee page also lists initial costs from ¥231 for a SIM only or ¥981 with a phone, at its lowest discounted rate Provider page, read September 30, 2026 | Minimum 6 months. Leaving earlier costs one month's fee plus ¥5,500 for a SIM only, or two months' fee plus ¥20,000 with a phone Its guide page mentions only one month's basic fee; the amounts above are from its reply to a mystery shopper. After 6 months you keep the phone and pay only the last month. Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 18, 2026 | Checking | Credit screening: noneJune 2026 residence card: not confirmed Residence card plus your passport photo page Its reply to a mystery shopper: your ID needs at least 2 weeks left before it expires when you apply. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Bank transfer, bank account debit or convenience store. No card payment listed Its reply to a mystery shopper: a newly opened account in your own name works for debit. A few banks are not supported. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | No English support Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026 |
| LIBMO Monthly SIM | ¥980 a month for 3GB with voice Larger plans have 6-month discounts with no end date. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | ¥3,300 contract fee plus ¥433 SIM fee Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | One month's fee if you cancel a voice SIM within a year Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Checking | Credit screening: requiredJune 2026 residence card: accepted online; integrated My Number residence card excluded Residence card accepted, except cards that double as a My Number card (特定在留カード) LIBMO's support chat told a mystery shopper residence cards issued from 14 June 2026 also work for web sign-up with the chip reading and face photo check. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Credit card in your own name. Debit cards and bank account debit not accepted LIBMO's chat says whether a card issued outside Japan works is only known when you register it at signup. If it fails, register another card. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Japanese only Asked in LIBMO's support chat, staffed 14:00 to 22:00. Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026 |
| DTI SIM Monthly SIM | ¥1,485 a month for 2GB with 10-minute calls included All prices on that page include tax. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | ¥3,300 contract fee plus ¥433 SIM fee Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | No minimum term, no cancellation fee and no fee to move your number out Number port-out fee: none (dream.jp/mb/sim/support/attention/). Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | A 090, 080 or 070 number on voice plans Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Application screening: stated; credit check: unknownJune 2026 residence card: not confirmed Residence card accepted with a residence record (住民票, without My Number) or a utility bill showing your address, issued within 3 months Propane gas bills are not accepted. With a My Number Card and an NFC phone you can use JPKI instead. Does not say whether residence cards issued from 14 June 2026 work. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Credit card in your own name only Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Checking |
| JAPAN & GLOBAL eSIM eSIM | ¥1,080 for 3GB over 30 days Price read from the shop's product data on that page (JPY 1,080). The shop does not say whether it includes tax. Larger plans are shown at sale prices with no end date. Provider page, read October 9, 2026 | None beyond the plan price Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Checking | Data only. No phone number or SMS Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Credit screening: not statedResidence card: not normally required None normally. The shop may ask for ID Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Credit card, PayPay, Shop Pay or Google Pay Whether cards issued outside Japan work is not stated. Provider page, read September 17, 2026 | Support in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean Provider page, read September 17, 2026 |
“Checking” means the provider's own site doesn't give us enough information to confirm that detail. We leave the field open instead of guessing. See how we check provider information.
A normal mobile contract can be hard to get in your first weeks in Japan. The provider may ask for a residence card, an accepted payment card and an application that passes its screening. Home internet contracts often run into the same card checks.
Lyprimo is the simpler option if you want prepaid service without a carrier credit check. Sunsyscon is aimed at people whose applications have already been rejected, and it can also supply a handset.
If you want a number for PayPay, it must be able to receive an SMS code, and some data-only SIMs cannot. See PayPay for foreigners.
If you want to sign up in English with a credit or debit card issued abroad, Sakura Mobile handles the application, support and billing in English and told a mystery shopper in writing that there is no credit check. Plans with a number cost ¥3,278 to ¥12,078 a month plus a ¥5,500 activation fee. With a residence card issued on or after 14 June 2026, you collect the SIM in person. Details and customer reports are in our Sakura Mobile review.
A monthly SIM or eSIM with a Japanese number, handled in English from sign-up to billing. It takes credit and debit cards issued abroad, and told a mystery shopper in writing that there is no credit check. If your residence card was issued on or after 14 June 2026, you collect the SIM in person.
Sign up for Sakura Mobile in English
If you have only a passport so far, Mobal lets you collect a SIM with a Japanese number the same day at an airport or station counter. Plans with data start at ¥1,650 a month; voice-only ¥1,430. The SIM is ¥4,950, you pay by card or PayPal, and support is in English by email. Mobal told a mystery shopper it runs no credit check. Details and customer reports are in our Mobal review. If you want to keep a number or a Mobal SIM will not connect, see keeping your number with Mobal and Mobal activation and not working.
A monthly SIM or eSIM with a Japanese number. You can collect it the same day at an airport or station counter with only a passport, pay by card or PayPal, and get support in English by email. Mobal told a mystery shopper it runs no credit check and accepts residence cards issued from 14 June 2026.
Order a Mobal SIM for pickup or delivery
To choose between the two, our Sakura Mobile vs Mobal comparison puts their prices at each data size, accepted ID, payment and support side by side.
If you have a Japanese bank account but no credit card, look at Goen Mobile (ごえんモバイル). You pay by debit from a bank account in your own name, after a first payment by bank transfer. It screens applications, has a 2-month minimum and accepts a residence card. Its price and fees are in the costs table.
A docomo-network voice SIM you can pay for from a Japanese bank account in your own name. It screens applications and needs a residence card.
Lyprimo
Goen Mobile
Prepaid, so there's no credit screening like a monthly contract has. It fits if you've just arrived and don't have a Japanese credit history yet.
Get a prepaid SIM with no credit check
Japanese button: “No screening! Prepaid phones and SIMs from [Lyprimo]” Opens Lyprimo's site (Japanese)
Specializes in customers who have failed a carrier's credit check. Worth comparing if you've already been turned down elsewhere.
Apply even if a carrier turned you down
Japanese button: “[Rental phone MVNO Sunsyscon]” Opens Sunsyscon's site (Japanese)
A regular monthly plan needs you to pass the provider's application checks. LIBMO and DTI SIM are the monthly options here, and both voice plans come with a Japanese phone number. DTI SIM has no minimum term; LIBMO charges a month's fee if you cancel a voice plan within a year. Neither takes debit cards or bank account payment.
Check the accepted identity documents and payment methods before applying. Screening can still end in a rejected application.
If your residence card was issued on or after 14 June 2026, some carriers cannot verify it online. The major carriers table below shows what each one's own notice says.
A standard Japanese budget carrier whose voice plans include a Japanese phone number. You need to pass its contract check, with accepted ID and payment.
Get a monthly plan with a Japanese number
Japanese button: “For a low-cost SIM, [LIBMO]” Opens LIBMO's site (Japanese)
A budget monthly SIM with a 090, 080 or 070 number and no minimum term or cancellation fee. It takes credit cards only, and a residence card needs a supporting document.
IIJmio, Rakuten Mobile, ahamo, LINEMO and povo are not in our comparison. Only Rakuten Mobile has an advertising link, under the table. Every cell is from the carrier's own page, read on October 3, 2026, and says Checking where we could not confirm it.
| Provider | Price | Upfront costs | Leaving early | Accepted ID | Payment | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIJmio Mobile carrier (MVNO) | ¥950 a month for a 5GB voice SIM, tax included IIJmio's own example plan on its Gigaplan page. Its full price table loads by script, so other sizes are not listed here. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Checking | No contract cancellation fee and no fee to move your number out Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Residence card. A second-generation card issued from 14 June 2026 does not work online yet, so apply in a store. No minimum time left on your stay is required IIJmio's notice covers the online check. Its chat staff told a mystery shopper on 17 September 2026 that the second-generation card works in store and that no minimum remaining stay is needed. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Credit card. A card issued abroad may not work, and IIJmio cannot check this before you apply IIJmio's chat staff, in reply to a mystery shopper. Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026 | Japanese only The notice on IIJmio's chat page, read by a mystery shopper. Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026 |
| Rakuten Mobile Mobile carrier | Checking | No contract fee on your first four lines. ¥3,850 per line from the fifth line under one name The quoted sentence is Rakuten's fee rule for shop sign-ups. The 'first four lines free' reading comes from the caption of the fee image next to it. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Checking | Residence card, including second-generation and specified (My Number) cards, in the online check since 1 September 2026 Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Checking | The website has an English version, machine translated. Support language is not stated on the pages we read Provider page, read October 3, 2026 |
| ahamo Mobile carrier (docomo) | ¥2,970 a month for 30GB, and the 80GB add-on is ¥1,980 more until 30 November 2026. From 1 December 2026: ¥3,135 for up to 40GB, rising with use to ¥5,115 for 120GB Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | No contract fee Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | ¥1,100 if you cancel within a year (lines opened from 1 July 2025) Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Residence card accepted online if the address on its front is your current one, except second-generation cards and cards that double as a My Number card (特定在留カード) issued from 14 June 2026 An address update written on the back does not count. ahamo's support chat told a mystery shopper in-person sign-up for the new cards is at electronics retailers, not docomo shops, and it had no list of which stores take it. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Credit card or a bank account in your own name. Some debit cards work. Cards issued abroad may be refused ahamo's chat says less than 3 months left on your period of stay is accepted only when you pay by a credit card in your own name. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | No English support Asked in ahamo's support chat. Provider's reply to a mystery shopper, September 17, 2026 |
| LINEMO Mobile carrier (SoftBank) | From ¥990 a month, tax included LINEMO's plan page prints its tiers as images: up to 3GB ¥990, up to 10GB ¥2,090, and 30GB with 5-minute calls ¥2,970. Calls past 5 minutes are billed by use. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | ¥3,850 contract fee Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Leaving within 12 months of a new contract or a number transfer costs ¥990 on the Best Plan and ¥1,100 on Best Plan V Moving from SoftBank or Y!mobile carries no cancellation fee. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Residence card, plus your passport unless your status is Permanent Resident. The in-app check reads the card chip, and the app does not take second-generation cards yet Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Credit card or bank account debit, in your own name. Visa, Mastercard and JCB debit cards work. LINEMO does not say whether cards issued abroad do LINEMO accepts only a card in the same name as the contract holder. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Checking |
| povo Mobile carrier (au) | ¥0 base fee, and you buy data as needed: 3GB for 30 days is ¥990 povo can suspend or end a line if you buy no paid topping for 180 days. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | No contract fee on your first five lines. ¥3,850 per line from the sixth line under one name Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Checking | Residence card accepted. A second-generation card cannot be read yet. The specified card works if you choose My Number card as the ID method povo's data-only plan, which is an eSIM with no phone number, opens with no ID documents. Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Credit card, or Paidy pay-later if you have none. Paidy bills you by bank transfer, bank debit or convenience store Provider page, read October 3, 2026 | Checking |
Rakuten Mobile accepts the new residence card for its online ID check
Opens Rakuten Mobile's site (Japanese; English version too)
IIJmio and Rakuten Mobile print most prices by script, and LINEMO prints its tiers as images, so those cells show only what we could read as page text. Plan prices change often; open the carrier's page before applying.
The same five carriers and SoftBank, by whether the online sign-up accepts a residence card issued from 14 June 2026. Each row is from the carrier's own notice. Banks and other services are in the residence card verification tracker.
| Carrier | Online sign-up with a card issued from 14 June 2026 | If it refuses |
|---|---|---|
| Rakuten MobileMobile carrier | Accepted online Added to online verification on 1 September 2026. The only provider here that has finished the work. Rakuten Mobile's notice, read September 16, 2026 | Also accepted in Rakuten Mobile shops since 14 June 2026 |
| ahamoMobile carrier (docomo) | Not accepted online Covers both the second-generation card and the My Number-integrated specified card. ahamo's notice, read September 16, 2026 | Apply in person at a retailer running an ahamo sign-up fair |
| SoftBankMobile carrier | Some routes only The SoftBank app cannot read the second-generation card yet; SoftBank says support is planned but gives no date. The specified card works in the app only when you pay in full, choosing My Number. Checking your card at delivery works for both new cards and either payment type. SoftBank's notice, read September 17, 2026 | Choose ID check by the delivery driver, which accepts both new card types. A ¥550 fee applies on some products from 1 June 2026 |
| LINEMOMobile carrier (SoftBank) | Some routes only The in-app scan will not take a new-format card; LINEMO says app support is planned but gives no date. LINEMO's notice, read September 16, 2026 | Choose ID check on delivery (配達時に本人確認): the courier checks the card at your door |
| povoMobile carrier (au) | Some routes only povo cannot read the second-generation residence card yet and gives no date. The specified residence card, which carries My Number Card functions, works if you choose My Number Card in the app. povo's notice, read September 17, 2026 | Specified card: choose My Number Card as the ID method and scan the specified card. Second-generation card: none stated |
| IIJmioMobile carrier | Some routes only The specified residence card works online through JPKI. The second-generation card does not; IIJmio says support is due 今冬 (this winter). IIJmio's notice, read September 17, 2026 | Upload card images at a counter, in person |
For someone visiting you on a short trip, an eSIM is the simplest option if their phone supports one. They install it before leaving home and have data when they land.
A travel eSIM normally provides data only. It won't give you the Japanese phone number that many landlords, local services and banks ask for.
You install it on your phone before you travel, so you have data when you arrive. It also works in around 190 other regions.
Get your Japan eSIM before you fly
Japanese button: “Works in Japan plus 190 regions worldwide [JAPAN & GLOBAL eSIM]” Opens JAPAN & GLOBAL eSIM's site (Japanese; English version too)
You can tether a laptop to your phone, but a pocket Wi-Fi device is often more convenient for several devices or heavy use. Compare the pocket Wi-Fi options if you can't install home internet yet.
If you're moving into a home, read the moving-in checklist and the residence card guide before arranging utilities and contracts.
We check whether you can sign up (credit check, identity documents, payment rules) and whether you get a Japanese number, then contract length and cancellation terms. Plan details come from the providers' own pages. When a requirement is unclear, the table says checking. Prices and fees in the costs table were read from each provider's page on the date shown. Plans differ in data and length, so nothing here is ranked on price.
Longer guides on signing up and keeping a number:
Every provider in the comparison table has an affiliate program we joined, and we earn a commission if you sign up through one of our links. Rakuten Mobile, in the major carriers table, also has an advertising link; the other carriers there have none.
Last reviewed October 28, 2026. Read our editorial policy.
Yes. Lyprimo is prepaid and does not use the screening required for a regular monthly contract. You still need to pass its online ID check, which reads your card's chip or uses JPKI. Lyprimo told a mystery shopper it accepts residence cards issued from 14 June 2026. Sakura Mobile, a monthly plan in English, told a mystery shopper in writing that it runs no credit check either. It needs a credit or debit card, and cards issued abroad work.
Not always. Mobal hands over a SIM with a Japanese number at an airport or station pickup point if you show a physical, unexpired passport. For delivery to a Japanese address it asks for a residence card, My Number card or Japanese driver's license. The other plans with a number here ask for a residence card: Lyprimo, Goen Mobile, LIBMO and DTI SIM (Lyprimo also takes a foreign passport in person at its Tokyo shop), and Sunsyscon asks for a residence card and your passport. JAPAN & GLOBAL eSIM, which is data only, normally asks for no ID.
For a short visit with data only, an eSIM installed before you travel is simplest. If you need a Japanese phone number, you need a voice plan, on a physical SIM or an eSIM. Mobal and Sakura Mobile both sell an eSIM with a number. Mobal's is not emailed: it posts an access code, or you collect the code at a pickup point in Japan with your passport. Check that your phone supports eSIM before choosing one.
Yes. For a Japanese phone number, Mobal ships its SIM abroad before you travel, which takes from 2 business days to 30, or you order online and collect it the same day at an airport counter with your passport. A Mobal voice eSIM is not emailed: Mobal posts an access code, abroad too, or you collect the code at a pickup point with your passport. For data only, JAPAN & GLOBAL eSIM is installed on your phone before you travel. Plans that check a residence card have to wait until you have one.
Banks generally expect one, which is why most people sort out a phone plan before opening an account. A travel eSIM won't give you a number, so you'll need a voice plan for this.
