Voice calls options in Japan, as a foreign traveler

Now that the two laws that would restrict your cellphone usage in Japan are out of our way, let’s consider your options for voice calls in Japan.
The data-only SIM is a totally different subject. We will discuss it later.
Here, we’re talking about the cellphone options which enable you to make voice calls and SMS text messages in Japan.

Again, due to the reason (and a Japanese law) I wrote in
Two Laws regarding cellphone in Japan : No.1 “Buying” a local SIM – June 23rd, 2014
you’re not going to be able to “buy” a local SIM or cellphone service with a voice-call capability anywhere in Japan if your stay is less than 90 days there or if you don’t have a Japanese passport with a Japanese address written in it. So, don’t bother to spend time trying to find one. (Again, you can buy a data-only SIM in Japan.)

Option 1: Use the international roaming option of your own carrier in your country.
Option 2: Rent the voice-call capable cellphone or SIM in Japan at the arriving airport or elsewhere.
Option 3: Have your friend or colleague who lives in Japan to purchase a local prepaid phone, and borrow it.
Option 4: Use the so-called Global SIM.
Option 5: Use the VoIP call such as Skype.

Option 1: Use the international roaming option of your own carrier in your country.

This is the easiest way, because you can use the same phone you use in your country.
Unless you’re a T-Mobile US’s Simple Choice customer, this is the most expensive way, too. A minute of call can cost you $1.99 to $2.29 with a US carrier, both when receiving and making a call.
Another problem is that your phone number is still a foreign number. (A US number if you’re from USA.) Your Japanese friends, business associates, customers and hotels will have to make an international call to reach you even if you’re in the same country as they are. They may hesitate to call you, and in the worst case will not call you because it may be expensive for them to make international call. Maybe, they’ve never made an international call before, and simply don’t know how to dial to reach to your phone number.

However, this is the easiest way to make voice calls in Japan.

Depending on the contract you’re currently under, your cellphone plan in your country may not allow you to make roaming calls overseas (that is, in Japan). So, please check with your cellphone company before you leave your country so that you can make a roaming call in Japan.

And, most recent 3G/4G phones will be compatible with Japanese radio wave frequencies. But, no cheap 2G phones, please. There’re no 2G GSM radio wave used in Japan.

Please check the frequencies used in Japan in the following page:
Cellular phone frequencies used in Japan – June 23rd, 2014

How to dial in Japan:
In most cases, you simply dial a local number: For example, a call to a Tokyo number should be dialed as 03-xxxx-xxxx. A call to a Japanese cellphone should be dialed as 090-xxxx-xxxx or 080-xxxx-xxxx. (‘x’ is, of course, a number.)
To make a call to non-Japanese number, dial 010-‘country code’-‘phone number’, or +’country code’-‘phone number’. (‘+’ is a long push of ‘0’ in a smartphone.) For example, to make a call to a New York City phone number in USA, dial 010-1-212-xxx-xxxx or +1-212-xxx-xxxx.

Option 2: Rent the voice-call capable cellphone or SIM in Japan at the arriving airport or elsewhere.

There’re several cellular phone rental companies you can find at international airports in Japan, like Narita Airport.

In Japan, there’s no charge (that is, free!) for incoming calls on a Japanese phone.

Telecom Square rents Japan domestic phone at about $5 per day, $0.90 per minute for calls made to Japanese phone numbers.
【Telecom Square (in Japanese)】Phone Rental for Japan domestic use
【Telecom Square (in Japanese)】Airport Counters Map

JAL ABC (a JAL subsidiary) has the domestic phone rental at Narita, Haneda, Chubu and Kansai International Airports. You must reserve it in advance. The cost is about $2.5 per day for a rental phone, and $0.80 per minute for calls made to Japanese phone numbers.
【JAL ABC】Rental Mobile Phones for Use within Japan
【JAL ABC】Pickup & Return Locations

Softbank Global Rental has the domestic phone rental at Narita, Haneda, Chubu and Kansai, Sapporo (Shin Chitose) International Airports. The cost is about $3 per a rental phone + $5.40 ($2.60 on a web order) per day, and $1.10 per minute for calls made to Japanese phone numbers.
【Softbank Global Rental】Rental Mobile Services
【Softbank Global Rental】Locations
【Softbank Global Rental】Domestic Rates

Mobal Communications has the domestic phone rental at Narita International Airport. Mobal has no daily rental fee, but the call rate is higher at $2.10 per minute for calls made to Japanese phone numbers. At this rate, though, the roaming call cost of your own carrier from your country may costs you about the same. The only difference is that you get a Japanese phone number and your incoming call is free.
【Mobal Communications】Rental Mobile Services
Mobal has the SIM-only option, which uses the Softbank radio and is cheaper to make calls ($0.80 per minute) and free for all incoming calls. The communication cost is charged monthly to your credit card, with no monthly charge to keep the SIM. You can keep this SIM many months for your next trip to Japan.
【Mobal Communications】SIM card only (at the bottom half)

Pururu has the domestic phone rental at Narita, Haneda, Chubu and Kansai International Airports. You must reserve it in advance. The cost is about $15 per a rental phone (which covers the delivery to the airport pickup locations) + $4 per day, and $0.80 per minute for calls made to Japanese phone numbers.
【Pururu】Rental Mobile Services
【Pururu】Rental Phone Basic Service
【Pururu】Airport Pickup & Return Locations

Other companies such as Global Advanced Communications will ship a rental phone to a postal office in the airport building where you can pick up the phone by showing your passport. Global Advanced Communications has a higher daily rental fee, but lower call rates. And, their SIM offer is the best if you plan to use the data (web) service in addition to voice calls with your unlocked iPhone or Android phone. Their data plan is unlimited.
【Global Advanced Communications】Rental Mobile Phones, SIM rentals and Mobile WiFi rental services for Use within Japan
【Global Advanced Communications】Airport Pickup Locations

Global Cellular (XCom Global) rents Japan domestic phone at about $4.5 per day, $1.80 per minute for calls made to Japanese phone numbers. (I can’t find their English page.)
【Global Cellular】Rental Mobile Phones for Use within Japan
【Global Cellular】Airport Counter Locations

Narita Airport website has the handy list of many cellphone rental companies that cater to foreign travelers to Japan.
【Narita Airport】Cellular Phone Rental

You may also find the phone rental company in your country, which has a phone model for your trip to Japan. This is a convenient way, if you can find one, because you get the phone and the phone number before you leave your country, and return it after you come back home by an overnight carrier, making it possible to use the phone until you board your return airplane.

Option 3: Have your friend or colleague who lives in Japan to purchase a local prepaid phone, and borrow it.

If you have a friend in Japan, or a colleague in Japan, who has a permanent residence address there, they can obtain a cellphone from Softbank. Well, KDDI au has one, too, but I heard that their email and messaging service is restricted. So, the prepaid service from Softbank is better.
The cost of phone itself is about $25 to $60 for a simple phone. The cost of prepaid card is 3000 Yen (about $30) or 5000 Yen (about $50), and is good for 60 days after recharge. The calls you make cost about $0.90 per minute. Incoming calls are free. You can also make international calls.

You may return the phone to your friend after the trip, or keep it for your next trip if you definitely plan to make your next trip within 360 days because the phone number and the SIM will be effective for 360 days after your last expiration of the recharge.

Refill cards can be purchased at any Softbank shops. The refill PIN numbers can be purchased at many convenience stores throughout Japan.

Option 4: Use the so-called Global SIM.

There’re so-called a Global SIM or an International SIM in the market which you can use the same SIM in more than 100 countries. Most of the SIM has a UK number. Some have the phone number from other European countries.

I am not going to recommend it for the use in Japan.
The reasons are:
– The rates may not be as good as or lower than other options.
– The phone number is still not a Japanese phone number, and people in Japan will not want to call your non-Japanese phone numbers due to higher international calling rates charged to them.
– Some of these Global or International SIM uses the ‘call back” system, in which you make a call and then hang-up to be reconnected by the call-back server.

Option 5: Use the VoIP call such as Skype.

There’re two reasons that this option does not work for you:
– First, as a non-resident of Japan, you’re not going to find an easy-connect public WiFi everywhere in Japan. Many public WiFi requires you to pre-register before you access it. And, you cannot pre-register for it on the spot if you cannot access it.
– The second problem is, due to the law, you’re not going to obtain a Japanese phone number through any of the VoIP service available. Thus, again, making it difficult for your friend or business that needs to call you because they have to make the international calls.
– And, not everyone has the Skype, Facetime, Google Voice, Line, Kakao Talk or any VoIP service.

Conclusions:

– If you’re planning to use your phone on an emergency situation only, consider using your own country’s phone through international roaming.

– If you plan to call many Japanese friends or colleagues in Japan, or plan to receive calls from them,
– – Rent a phone or SIM for the use in Japan at Japanese airports. It is recommended to make reservation through the web page in advance.
– – Have your friend or colleague buy a Softbank prepaid phone under their name and “borrow” it by paying the communication fees by yourself, if you plan to visit Japan frequently
– – Consider obtaining the Mobal SIM-only, if you plan to visit Japan frequently
– – – 【Mobal Communications】SIM card only (at the bottom half)