How much does a phone plan cost for foreigners in Japan?
Last checked: 2026-11-06
Mobal's long-term plans with a Japanese number start at 1,430 yen a month for voice only and 1,650 yen with data, and Sakura Mobile's voice and data plans start at 3,278 yen a month. Both also charge a one-time fee: 4,950 yen for the Mobal SIM and 5,500 yen for Sakura Mobile activation. All prices here include tax and were seen on November 6, 2026.
Mobal monthly prices
Mobal sells a voice-only plan and voice plus data plans. On the page we read, its data-only SIMs are tourist products with fixed days, not monthly plans.
| Plan | Monthly fee, tax included |
|---|---|
| Voice only, no data | 1,430 yen |
| Voice + 1GB | 1,650 yen |
| Voice + 5GB | 3,190 yen |
| Voice + 10GB | 3,630 yen |
| Voice + 15GB | 3,795 yen |
| Voice + 30GB | 4,378 yen |
| Voice + 50GB | 5,280 yen |
| Voice + 100GB (upgrade after one month on a lower plan) | 6,490 yen |
| Voice + 200GB (upgrade after one month on a lower plan) | 9,900 yen |
The one-time SIM or eSIM price is 4,950 yen. Mobal says there is no contract, no minimum term and no termination fee. The first month is prorated. Outgoing domestic calls are 44 yen a minute and domestic texts are 33 yen each. Incoming calls and SMS are free. After the data allowance runs out, speed drops to about 200 Kbps.
Sakura Mobile monthly prices
| Data | Voice + data, tax included | Data only, tax included |
|---|---|---|
| 5GB | 3,278 yen | 2,728 yen |
| 15GB | 3,828 yen | 3,278 yen |
| 30GB | 4,378 yen | 3,828 yen |
| 40GB | 5,478 yen | 4,928 yen |
| 60GB | 7,678 yen | 7,128 yen |
| 80GB | 9,878 yen | 9,328 yen |
| 100GB | 12,078 yen | 11,528 yen |
The activation fee is 5,500 yen with tax. Sakura Mobile lists a student discount of 1,100 yen off that fee. Calls and SMS are not included in the monthly price. Domestic outgoing calls are 16.5 yen per 30 seconds. To cancel, send a request in My Page by the 25th and the contract ends that month. A request on the 26th or later adds one more month. Sakura Mobile calls the plan monthly, with a 1-month minimum.
What a year costs at two data sizes
This is our own arithmetic: the one-time fee plus 12 monthly fees. It leaves out calls and first-month proration, and the two services charge calls differently. It is not a ranking.
| Plan | Mobal | Sakura Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Voice + 5GB | 43,230 yen | 44,836 yen |
| Voice + 30GB | 57,486 yen | 58,036 yen |
What you need to sign up
| Mobal | Sakura Mobile | |
|---|---|---|
| Pick-up in person | Your full, valid passport. A copy or scan is not accepted. Bring your order confirmation. | Passport, at the airport or the Shinjuku office. |
| Delivery | Upload ID before shipping. | Residence card with your current address, driver's license or My Number card. The same applies to an eSIM sent by email. |
| Payment | Debit card, credit card or PayPal. No cash. | International credit or debit card, or cash through Smart Pit. No Japanese bank account is needed. |
| Age | 18 or older. A parent or guardian can order in their own name. | Not stated on the pages we read |
| Phone | Unlocked. Voice calls on Android need VoLTE and Android 12 or newer. | Must be SIM-free. |
A phone is one step in our moving to Japan checklist. If you plan to use a residence card with your current address or a My Number Card as ID, you need to register your address first.
What we could not confirm
- Mobal's accepted ID. The main SIM page names only a passport. A second Mobal page lists a Japan Residence Card, My Number Card or Japanese driver's license for delivery in Japan. Ask Mobal before you order if you have no passport with you.
- Mobal's plan pages differ. That second page also showed fixed 30, 60 and 90 day plans at other prices. We used the main SIM page. Check the price at checkout.
- Sakura Mobile's ID list. Its guide lists different ID in different sections. Confirm which applies to you.
- Sakura Mobile's cancellation fee. Current pages say month-to-month with no lock-in, but do not state a fee. "No early termination fee" appears only on a landing page with a 2022 footer. We could not open the support article.
- Sakura Mobile's speed after the limit. Its data-only page says speed slows, but not by how much.
We have not used either service and we do not rank them.
Check current plans and prices on Mobal.
See Mobal Japan SIM plansCheck current monthly plans and prices on Sakura Mobile.
See Sakura Mobile monthly plans