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Japan

B Mobile

http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/lineup.html

Visitors can purchase data-only SIM cards with no restrictions. B Mobile SIM cards can be purchased in major electronics stores, such as Yodobashi, Bic Camera. However the minimum purchase is for 3 months or more in these stores.

There are 1-month plans, but those cards must be purchased online. The website is only in Japanese. You can have the card delivered on a specific day within a 3 hours window, to any Japanese address such as a hotel you'll be staying.

If you wish to purchase more easily, this is the website where you can purchase SIM cards in English.

http://www.econnectjapan.com/

Activation: Card must be activated by using a Japanese mobile phone to a toll-free number, OR a toll call through any other means (such as Skype). English speaking customer service reps are available. Once the call is made, the card is valid for 10 days. They will send a confirmation number by snail mail to you. Once that confirmation number is sent back to them (through e-mail), the card will become fully activated. However, if you are purchasing from econnectjapan, you do not need to activate. They do it for you and you can use it straight away.

Cost for 1 month (free shipping):

"U300" 300kpbs 2980yen (mini or micro SIM)

"Platinum" "プラチナ" UMTS 5280yen (micro SIM only)

APN: comes with instruction booklet. You can clearly see what it is even if you don't read Japanese

Renting

As the comments say, you can't get a prepay sim when you're visiting on a temporary visa. There are places that wil happly rent you a sim they own though.

http://www.jcrcorp.com have a number of devices/sims/plans for rental. I went with an unlim data sim on NTT docomo in my unlocked iPhone - worked great even in rural areas. Not cheap, but worth it IMO. Their staff on phone and email all speak perfect english and are very helpful, Very good overview here: http://www.dannychoo.com/post/en/25485/Japan+Prepaid+SIM.html One can rent a MiFI/ pocket wifi for about 1200 yen per day: http://japanmobilerental.com Only for using data communications, this is the cheapest rental service: http://www.sallysrental.com

Softbank

http://mb.softbank.jp/en/prepaid_service/

Basic fees		¥0
Call Rates	Voice Call ^*4	¥9 / 6 sec.
Call Rates	Video Call	¥16 / 6 sec.
Messaging Rates	Sending rate	Unlimited Mail ^1 ¥300Up to 30 days ^2
Messaging Rates	Receiving Rate	No charge ^*3
Data communication ^*4 rates		¥16 / 6 sec.

Availability

Most convenience stores (Lawson, FamilyMart, 7/11) - http://mb.softbank.jp/en/prepaid_service/purchasing.html

Full info:

http://broadband.mb.softbank.jp/en/download/prepaid_service/3g_prepaid_service_guide.pdf

Retrieved from "http://prepaidwithdata.wikia.com/wiki/Japan"

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Anonymous User
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Can buy B-Mobile 1GB card (valid for 30 days) from electronics stores BIC or Yodobashi. 3480yen. No need for mail order.

February 17 by A Wikia contributor
You can buy bmobile sim via Amazon.co.jp, it supports English partially. nomal SIM: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-language/product/B005LAZDTM/ref=dp_change_lang?ie=UTF8&language=en microSIM: http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-language/product/B005LAZDVK/ref=dp_change_lang?ie=UTF8&language=en

February 2 by A Wikia contributor
I found this website the most useful! http://www.econnectjapan.com/

January 31 by A Wikia contributor
Addition to the post before: Seems like they have some uncapped plans for tourists now too!

May 19, 2011 by A Wikia contributor
Japan has prepaid sims without registration. (Just used it while I was there)
Company is called b-mobile (watch out, not em mobile). You can see the lineup here: http://www.bmobile.ne.jp/lineup.html
Without voice you don't need an Alien Registration Card, Tourist visa is enough. You can either buy online (with having monthly charges automatically booked from credit card, so halfway prepaid) or get them at the big electronic stores (Bic Camera, etc.) in the phone section with 3 or 6 month prepaid already (no 1 month card in store, only online).
There is no need to return the sim afterwards.
Yodobashi Camera (east of Akihabara station) has these cards for sure, bought mine there.
Dataplan is about 3000 yen per month, its capped at 300kbps though and also had at my time a maximum of 120 mb / month afterwards they'd slow down even more in some cases (for more information about phones and providers in Japan, I can recommend http://softbanksucks.blogspot.com/ )

May 19, 2011 by A Wikia contributor
You can't buy a SIM as far as I know, but you can buy a prepaid phone from Softbank. The phone won't have data but it has an email address where you can forward your mails, and send. Unlimited emails for 300 Yen/month.

December 30, 2010 by A Wikia contributor
I looked at Mobal but then saw the call charges..... their aim seems to be to suck you in with "Free" rental to sting you on calls... I rented a phone and a pocket mobile wifi (mifi) from Rentafone Japan - www.rentafonejapan.com www.rentafonejapan.com/Mobile-Internet.html - very reasonable

December 17, 2010 by A Wikia contributor
The best deal at the moment is from the Mobal counter at Narita airport. When I was there two weeks ago, they has a free rental deal running. http://www.mobalnarita.com
Incoming calls are free too, so it's much better than using your own phone there (if it works).

November 16, 2010 by A Wikia contributor
The BEST way of getting unlimited data in Japan is by obtaining a 3 HK prepaid SIM (make SURE you get the right kind, they have MANY) and using the International Data Roaming Pass. It ends up being $139HK/day for unlimited 3G on Docomo. It worked PERFECTLY.

November 9, 2010 by A Wikia contributor
For me, roaming is about the same price as renting a phone or using a Softbank prepaid SIM.

August 18, 2010 by A Wikia contributor
http://www.softbank-rental.jp/en/phones/sim3g.php - I've used the SIM rental plan with Softbank numerous times. (Easy) - It's a regular SIM and I've used several phone models with it. (HTC Tilt, some older HTC model and a Nokia N95) - Your phone must be W-CDMA/UMTS compatible. - You must pick up the SIM at one of their airport locations. They are not available at their regular stores. - You'll need a credit card, your passport and a few minutes to fill out the form, as well as let them test the SIM in your phone. - You can return the SIM when you get home, but I always allot a few minutes to return it at their airport kiosk. I've picked it up at Narita and returned it at Kansai International and vice versa. No extra fee for that.
Fees: - ¥105 per day - Incoming calls are free, outgoing I think are ¥105/minute. - SMS was like ¥15 each I think
Whatever you do, don't use data with this service. The cost is outrageous. Do yourself a favor and review the link above. Their service and fees may have changed since this post.
I've also never booked the SIM rental ahead of time. I've just picked it up when I arrived.
- Hint: Get yourself a Skypeout number for the duration of your stay, if you want to have a phone number local to your home for friends/family/clients to call that you can setup to forward to your number. You pay in advance for the Skype stuff, but it makes it easy for others to call if they must reach you.
August 12, 2010 by A Wikia contributor
I would try the Softbank kiosk at Narita Airport.

August 12, 2010 by A Wikia contributor
To buy a prepaid in Japan you need a Alienregistration Card. Even my japanese wife couldn't buy one because she didn't had a registered living place in Japan. You can only rent a mobilphone.

August 9, 2010 by A Wikia contributor
Sorry I don't think it is possible to buy sim cards without a phone & prepaid contract within Japan (even if the contract is 1-3 months only).

August 9, 2010 by A Wikia contributor
I'm fairly certain you can't buy handsets or SIMs at any of those convenience stores.. most likely prepaid refill cards.

August 6, 2010 by A Wikia contributor

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