Getting a mobile phone plan as a resident

A short-term tourist can grab a data eSIM, but if you live in Japan you’ll usually want a proper monthly plan with a real phone number. This guide covers the ID check, what you need, and how the carriers differ — based on the carriers’ own pages and Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC).

The legal ID check (for voice lines)

By law, a carrier “shall confirm… the identity of the person,” specifically a natural person’s “name, address and date of birth,” before providing voice service. (MIC, identity-verification Act)

This applies to voice-capable lines. Pure data-only SIM/eSIM (no number) isn’t covered — IIJmio states “no ID is required for the application for the DATA SIM and DATA eSIM.”

What foreign residents need

• Residence Card (在留カード) with your current address — often with your passport (unless you have permanent residency). See our Residence Card guide.
• A Japan address and payment method. Most carriers want a credit card in your own name.
• Watch the expiry: Docomo restricts you to “payments with a credit card in their name” if the card shows “less than three months” left; au applies a similar rule under 90 days. SoftBank won’t approve device installments if the Residence Card expires before the installment period ends, and won’t take applications from “short-term stay” or no-status holders.

Big carrier (MNO) vs budget SIM (MVNO)

MIC identifies “NTT Docomo, KDDI (au), SoftBank, and Rakuten Mobile” as MNOs that own their networks, while an MVNO “rents network capacity” from them — which is how MVNOs “offer lower-priced and more varied services.” (MIC)

• MNO (the big four): most stores and support, more expensive.
• MVNO (IIJmio, mineo, etc.): cheaper on the same networks, but fewer in-person options and often stricter about needing a Japanese credit card in your own name.

SIM or eSIM?

Both are widely available for voice, data and SMS. eSIM avoids waiting for a card and can activate in minutes online — but the same ID/document rules apply to a voice eSIM.

Frequently asked questions

Carrier requirements (minimum Residence Card validity, accepted cards, installment eligibility) are set by each company and change — confirm current terms on the carrier’s own page before applying. This guide is general information, not a recommendation of any specific carrier.