How to Make International Calls from Japan in 2026

Updated: January 2026 · Reading time: 10 minutes

What do Japanese carriers charge for international calls?

Japanese carriers—NTT Docomo, au (KDDI), SoftBank, and Rakuten Mobile—charge per minute for international calls unless your plan includes them, and the rate depends on your plan and destination. Check your carrier's international rates before a long call.

Some plans include limited international minutes or discounted rates to specific countries. And if you're on a budget MVNO plan (IIJmio, mineo, etc.), international calling options are often even more limited.

Japan has excellent internet infrastructure, which makes VoIP alternatives work exceptionally well. The call quality you'll get from a Tokyo apartment rivals or beats traditional phone lines.

What are the free options for international calls from Japan?

LINE, WhatsApp, and messaging apps

In Japan, LINE dominates. If you're calling someone who also uses LINE, voice and video calls are free and work great. For calls to other countries where WhatsApp is standard (most of the world outside Japan, China, and Korea), WhatsApp calls are equally free.

The problem arises when you need to call a landline or someone who doesn't use these apps. Your parents back home who only have a house phone. A government office handling your visa paperwork. A hospital where a relative is staying. A business that won't respond to emails. In these cases, LINE and WhatsApp don't help.

Google Meet, Zoom

These platforms allow free voice and video calls, but only between users on the same platform. They don't connect to traditional phone networks.

How do you call landlines and mobiles from Japan?

When you need to call an actual phone number—not an app—you need a VoIP (Voice over IP) service. These services convert your voice into internet data and connect it to the phone network in the destination country.

LINE Out, which called phone numbers from inside the LINE app, closed on 31 May 2023.

Skype, the most popular international calling service for years, was retired by Microsoft on 5 May 2025.

Viber Out

Viber allows calls to traditional phones from within the app. Rates are competitive for some destinations.

Rates: from around ¥2/min to some destinations. Minimum credit roughly ¥500.

Payment from Japan: accepts international credit cards. Japanese convenience store payment not available.

Limitations: credits expire after 180 days without use. Viber isn't widely used in Japan, so you'd be installing an app just for calling.

Rakuten Link (Rakuten Mobile users only)

If you're on Rakuten Mobile, the Rakuten Link app includes free domestic calls and significantly discounted international calls to some countries.

Rates: varies by destination, but often cheaper than other carriers. Check the current rate sheet.

Limitations: only available to Rakuten Mobile subscribers. Quality depends on Rakuten's network coverage, which is still developing in some areas.

DialHard

DialHard is a smaller service focused on international calls directly from your browser. No app installation required—works in Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.

Rates: from $0.06/min. Your first top-up can be $5; after that, top-ups are $20 or $50.

Payment from Japan: accepts Visa, Mastercard, and JCB. Japanese payment methods like convenience store payment, PayPay, or bank transfer are not yet available.

Advantages: the credit you buy doesn't expire, works directly from browser without installing anything, transparent rates with no hidden fees.

Limitations: no Japanese payment options yet. It's a newer, smaller service.

How much do international calls from Japan cost?

Costs depend on the destination, on whether you're calling a mobile or a landline, and on the service. Check each service's rate for the country you're calling before a long call—DialHard's are all on its rates page.

Where do people in Japan call most often?

International calling patterns from Japan reflect both the expat/foreign resident population and Japanese business connections:

Philippines: One of the largest foreign communities in Japan. Many Filipino residents call family regularly—often to landlines in provincial areas where smartphones aren't common. This corridor has high call volume.

China: Business connections, students, technical trainees, and family ties. WeChat is standard in China (not WhatsApp or LINE), but even WeChat can't call Chinese landlines.

Brazil: The Japanese-Brazilian (Nikkei) community works in manufacturing centers like Aichi, Shizuoka, and Gunma. Many call family in Brazil regularly.

Vietnam, Indonesia, Nepal: Growing communities of technical trainees and workers. Many need to call home to rural areas with limited smartphone adoption.

United States: Business connections, military families (especially in Okinawa and around bases), and American expats.

South Korea: Geographic proximity, business ties, and the Korean community in Japan. Despite the closeness, international rates still apply.

United Kingdom, Australia: English-speaking expat communities and business connections.

How do time zones affect calling from Japan?

Japan is far ahead of most places you might call. This matters more than you'd think:

US East Coast: 14 hours behind Japan. When it's 9am Monday in Tokyo, it's 7pm Sunday in New York.

US West Coast: 17 hours behind. 9am Monday in Tokyo = 4pm Sunday in Los Angeles.

UK: 9 hours behind (8 during BST). 9am in Tokyo = midnight in London.

Brazil (São Paulo): 12 hours behind. 9am in Tokyo = 9pm previous day in São Paulo.

Philippines: Only 1 hour behind. This makes calling much easier.

Australia (Sydney): 1-2 hours ahead. Also relatively easy.

For calls to the Americas or Europe, you're often looking at early morning (your time) or late evening calls. Plan accordingly.

How can people overseas call you in Japan?

If you have family or contacts abroad who need to call your Japanese number, the situation reverses. They'll pay international rates from their carrier to reach your +81 number.

You can suggest they use a VoIP service: calling a Japanese mobile costs around ¥15-30/min (USD 0.10-0.20/min) with most VoIP providers.

Some services also offer virtual numbers. You could have a number with a US area code (+1) that rings on your Japanese phone. Useful for maintaining a presence back home or for elderly relatives who can't dial international numbers.

What tips help with international calling from Japan?

Leverage Japan's excellent internet. Unlike some countries where VoIP quality is hit-or-miss, Japan's infrastructure means you'll likely get crystal-clear calls. Use WiFi when available for the most stable connection.

Watch out for expiring credit. Viber Out credits expire after 180 days without use. If you only call occasionally, choose a service where credit doesn't expire.

Check your carrier's international options. Some plans include discounted rates or minute bundles for specific countries. Rakuten Mobile users should check Rakuten Link rates first.

Caller ID matters. If you're calling elderly relatives who won't answer unknown numbers, make sure your service lets you set a recognizable caller ID.

Consider the recipient's situation. If you're calling someone in a rural area of the Philippines or Vietnam, they may have limited mobile data. A VoIP-to-landline call might be more reliable than trying to coordinate app-based calling.

What should businesses consider for international calls?

If you run a business making regular international calls—trading companies, recruiting agencies, consulting firms—consider these factors:

Business VoIP services (not covered in detail here) offer features like call recording, multiple extensions, and local numbers in various countries. They cost more but may be worthwhile for professional use.

Local presence matters. Having a local number in your clients' countries increases answer rates dramatically. Some services let you display a local number when calling.

Track and report costs. International calls add up. Use the detailed logs that VoIP services provide to monitor spending across your team.

What's the best way to make international calls from Japan?

Japan's excellent internet infrastructure makes internet-based calling reliable, whether app to app or through a VoIP service.

If both people have apps: Use LINE, WhatsApp, or similar. They're free and work well.

If you need to call landlines or people without smartphones: Use a VoIP service. For credit that doesn't expire, consider DialHard.

If you call one country very frequently: Check if Rakuten Link (if you're on Rakuten) or a monthly plan offers better value.

If you call occasionally to various countries: A prepaid service with non-expiring credit is the most practical choice—you won't lose money if you don't call for a few months.