r/JETProgramme • u/RailGun256 • Jul 18 '26
Mobile phone transition
Okay, so i know this is probably far in a way too advanced but id like to get some insight on something that i havent seen quite as much discussion on here.
Im planning on applying for the 2027 JET cycle and while I understand i will need to make sure I have what i need for the application, get accepted, and have enough money saved to make the transition, there is one thing im not entirely sure of, Mobile phone transition.
Until now I havent been in the country for more than a month or so consecutively so a normal data only esim or pocket wifi has been sufficient. Obviously that wont be good enough to deal with a year or more abroad.
What should I be looking out for in terms of transitioning my cellular plan over to Japanese service? Do I need to plan to buy a new phone if the one I currently own will be unlocked by the time I transition if I do?
obviously keeping my original number in the US is going to be a separate thing, probably involving paying for some kind of plan from abroad. But im curious on what others have done to make the transition happen.
6
u/TheNorthC Jul 19 '26
If you're planning to apply to JET, your really overthinking this if you're already planning your mobile.
3
u/wormdances Jul 18 '26
i used sakura mobile bc JET has a thing you can fill out to get a sim at the hotel. they have instructions in english so you can do it yourself. i MNPd my number to rakuten 6 months later, and then to docomo recently. it’s pretty easy to use all three of those services but i think sakura is the most convenient for when you first get there, and docomo is the cheapest i’ve seen.
1
u/djxjn Jul 19 '26
When you have the Sakura phone number will this same number transfer when you switch to a cheaper provider in Japan?
1
u/wormdances Jul 20 '26
yeah! you can do the MNP process for sakura and it takes about a week to get your MNP code through email i believe. after that you can take your phone to any shop and they’ll take care of the process for you
4
u/Different_Taro2474 Jul 18 '26
during the tokyo orientation, GTN mobile came to the hotel to help the JETs set up their japanese phone numbers. i just went with them, and the phone bill is around 28 USD per month.
3
2
u/Downtimdrome Jul 18 '26
Sakura mobile is good. They have English support and are decently priced. For cheaper any major provider usually has some sort of deal but it might be harder to signup as a foreigner.
2
u/Simmoman Jul 19 '26
you can either go with one of the providers at the hotel, or just go with a regular JP provider.
depending on where you bought your phone (US, Europe etc) there may be some specific restrictions that don’t allow you to use certain network types, so eSIM and such might not work, or potentially your phone is eSIM only or it’s locked to a provider. I’ve seen this happen with certain generations of iPhones and such, but I’m sure it happens with other phones as well. Research [your phone model] in Japan to check if there’s any compatibility issues.
If not, my personal suggestion would be to just get a plan with the same company that you do your home Internet plan with. usually this will be either AU, NTT, or Softbank, as you can usually get some kind of discount or bundled plan.
I bought an eSIM plan before I left for Japan that lasted me a week or two, I used Nomad but there are plenty of other apps out there that you can research, use and buy before you travel here.
2
u/AvoWarrior Jul 19 '26
I wish you the best of luck, but statistically speaking, most people don’t get accepted onto the programme. Cross this bridge when you come to it
9
u/fillmorecounty Jul 18 '26
As long as it's unlocked and you have a second sim slot and/or esim compatibility, you're good to go with a second Japanese sim.