Moving to Japan, or staying for months? Use a travel eSIM or pocket WiFi for your first weeks, then switch to a monthly plan once you have your residence card and a Japanese address. Monthly plans are far cheaper over time, and a voice SIM gives you the Japanese phone number that banks, landlords and employers expect.
What you need to sign up
For a monthly voice SIM you’ll usually need:
- Residence card (在留カード). Mid- to long-term residents get it at the major international airports on arrival. If your airport doesn’t issue them, it’s posted to you after you register your address.
- A Japanese address, registered at your ward or city office.
- A way to pay. Many Japanese carriers only accept Japanese bank accounts or credit cards. Some providers aimed at foreign residents don’t need a Japanese bank account: Sakura Mobile says so on its voice plan page.
Data-only plans have had lighter requirements, but that is changing. In May 2026 Japan amended its Mobile Phone Improper Use Prevention Act so that data-only SIMs and eSIMs will need identity checks too, as voice plans already do. The change takes effect on a date set by government order, within a year of the law being published (by the end of May 2027), so expect providers to start asking visitors for passport details on data plans as well.
Monthly SIMs for foreign residents
Japan’s big carriers (docomo, au, SoftBank, Rakuten) and their budget brands are cheapest, but sign-up, contracts and support are mostly in Japanese. Providers aimed at foreign residents cost a little more and offer English support and contracts.
| Plan | Phone number | Hotspot | Checked | Link | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sakura Mobile docomo | Monthly data-only SIM/eSIM 5GB SIM card Per month. Activation fee ¥5,500. | 5GB | Monthly | ¥2,728/month | ≈$0.57 | ≈$3.45 | No | Yes | Checked | View deal |
| Sakura Mobile docomo | Monthly voice SIM/eSIM 5GB SIM card Per month. Activation fee ¥5,500. Calls 16.5 JPY/30 sec. Japanese 070/080/090 number. | 5GB | Monthly | ¥3,278/month | ≈$0.69 | ≈$4.14 | Yes | Yes | Checked | View deal |
| Sakura Mobile docomo | Monthly data-only SIM/eSIM 15GB SIM card Per month. Activation fee ¥5,500. | 15GB | Monthly | ¥3,278/month | ≈$0.69 | ≈$1.38 | No | Yes | Checked | View deal |
| Sakura Mobile docomo | Monthly voice SIM/eSIM 15GB SIM card Per month. Activation fee ¥5,500. Calls 16.5 JPY/30 sec. Japanese 070/080/090 number. | 15GB | Monthly | ¥3,828/month | ≈$0.81 | ≈$1.61 | Yes | Yes | Checked | View deal |
| Sakura Mobile docomo | Monthly data-only SIM/eSIM 30GB SIM card Per month. Activation fee ¥5,500. | 30GB | Monthly | ¥3,828/month | ≈$0.81 | ≈$0.81 | No | Yes | Checked | View deal |
| Sakura Mobile docomo | Monthly voice SIM/eSIM 30GB SIM card Per month. Activation fee ¥5,500. Calls 16.5 JPY/30 sec. Japanese 070/080/090 number. | 30GB | Monthly | ¥4,378/month | ≈$0.92 | ≈$0.92 | Yes | Yes | Checked | View deal |
Per-day and per-GB figures are approximate, converted to US dollars at the European Central Bank rate of 19 Oct 2026. Prices are in the currency each provider’s site showed us, so you may see a different currency. You pay the provider’s checkout price. Per GB is left blank for unlimited and daily-allowance plans.
Sakura Mobile is one provider focused on foreign residents, with voice SIMs, long-term pocket WiFi and home internet.
Long-term pocket WiFi
Monthly pocket WiFi rental is a common stopgap while you wait for home internet to be installed, and handy if you move around. It costs far less per month than a travel rental. Check the minimum term before you sign: Sakura Mobile’s voice plans, for example, are month-to-month with no lock-in.
| Plan | Phone number | Hotspot | Checked | Link | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sakura Mobile SoftBank | Monthly pocket WiFi 100GB Pocket WiFi Per month. | 100GB | Monthly | ¥5,478/month | ≈$1.15 | ≈$0.35 | No | Yes | Checked | View deal |
| Sakura Mobile SoftBank | Monthly pocket WiFi 200GB Pocket WiFi Per month. | 200GB | Monthly | ¥7,128/month | ≈$1.50 | ≈$0.23 | No | Yes | Checked | View deal |
Per-day and per-GB figures are approximate, converted to US dollars at the European Central Bank rate of 19 Oct 2026. Prices are in the currency each provider’s site showed us, so you may see a different currency. You pay the provider’s checkout price. Per GB is left blank for unlimited and daily-allowance plans.
See Sakura Mobile long-term pocket WiFi
Home internet
You have two main options:
- Fibre (光回線). The fastest and most reliable, but installation can take several weeks, and your building may limit which providers you can use. Ask your landlord early.
- Home routers. A plug-in router that runs on the mobile network. No installation, and it works as soon as it arrives. Slower than fibre at busy times.
See Sakura Mobile home internet
Your first weeks: bridging the gap
Opening a bank account, registering your address and signing a phone contract can feel circular: banks usually want a Japanese phone number, and the big carriers usually want a Japanese bank account. You no longer have to wait weeks to break the loop. Stephen’s advice for your first days:
- Get a real number first. Providers aimed at foreigners will give you a genuine 070, 080 or 090 number without a Japanese bank account. Mobal lets you collect a voice + data SIM or eSIM in Japan by showing your passport and order confirmation, and takes overseas cards and PayPal. Sakura Mobile’s voice plans also don’t need a Japanese bank account. Order before you move, and you’ll have a number to write on your bank application from day one.
- Open your first account at Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行). It’s usually the easiest bank for newcomers, so it’s worth trying before the big commercial banks. Expect limits at first: for your first six months in Japan, transfers to and from the account aren’t allowed, though you can pay utility bills from it.
- Use a travel eSIM or pocket WiFi as a bridge for data until your monthly plan is running.
Questions people ask
How do I get a Japanese SIM card as a resident?
Sign up for a monthly plan with your residence card, a registered Japanese address and an accepted payment method. Providers aimed at foreigners make this easier in English.
Why would I need a Japanese SIM card?
For a Japanese phone number (banks, landlords, employers and many apps expect one) and for data at local monthly prices, which are much cheaper than travel plans.
Can I keep using a travel eSIM long term?
You can, but monthly costs add up quickly and you won’t get a Japanese number. It’s best as a bridge for your first weeks.
Written by Stephen
Stephen lives in Osaka. fly-jpn is where he compares eSIMs, SIM cards and pocket WiFi for visitors, using what he has learned as a resident. A plan is only described as tested when he has bought it and used it in Japan himself.