“Want to change mobile carriers in Japan but keep your current phone number? That’s what MNP is for.” Mobile Number Portability (MNP) is the system that allows you to switch your service provider without the headache of changing your phone number. You get to keep your 070, 080, or 090 number while moving to a … Read more
Are you paying more than you should with AU in 2026? This is the fundamental question millions of residents in Japan both long-term locals and the growing community of foreign workers are asking as their monthly bank statements arrive. For over a decade, the “Big Three” carriers dominated the landscape with complex, multi-layered contracts that … Read more
Still paying high monthly fees to SoftBank in 2026? As the Japanese economy navigates a complex period of rising living costs and fluctuating inflation, the “mobile bill tax” remains one of the most significant avoidable expenses for expatriates and residents alike. For over a decade, the Japanese telecom market was defined by a comfortable oligopoly. … Read more
If you have a Rakuten Credit Card in Japan, there is a good chance you have never actually seen your most recent transactions, not because you haven’t looked, but because the default view only shows settled transactions, which are typically 2 to 3 days old. The moment you swipe your card at a store, that … Read more
Settling into Japan comes with endless new experiences, from navigating train networks to finding your favourite convenience store snacks. But before all of that, most newcomers face a practical challenge: choosing a mobile carrier that is easy to understand, affordable and foreigner-friendly. For years, this was not simple. Japan’s major telecom companies often required long … Read more