Plans & Fees
How a Japanese mobile bill is put together, and why device cost and service cost are two different things.
See every currently available plan and standard call option for the nine brands covered by this guide, with undiscounted prices and important conditions.
Your monthly mobile bill
Device cost vs service cost
Phone cost
- Device price
- Paid once, or split into installments
- Still owed if you cancel the service
Mobile service cost
- Data
- Calls & SMS
- Options
- Stops when you cancel
Installments
What you pay at signing
One-time charges are separate from both the device price and your monthly bill.
Set by the carrier and the procedure channel. Major-brand shop fees are often ¥4,950, while online fees range from free to ¥3,850 or more. Check the exact new-contract, MNP, SIM/eSIM or plan-change procedure.
Full explanationAn extra amount some agency shops and retailers add on top of the device price. Set by the shop, not the carrier — it can differ, or be zero, at another shop or online. Ask "is there a 頭金?" before you agree.
Full explanationIssuing or using MNP is generally free, but the new carrier may charge its ordinary contract handling fee. Check both carriers and the application channel.
Full explanationSeveral current plans charge a small fee when a newly opened line is cancelled within 12 months. The amount and start-date rule differ by plan. Device installments, options and same-month cancellation charges are separate.
Full explanationContent & subscription options
You can attach video, music and other subscriptions to your mobile contract so they land on one bill.
- Examples
- A carrier's own "watch as much as you like" video pack, or a bundled / discounted third-party service such as Netflix, Disney+, DAZN, Amazon Prime Video, Lemino or Hulu.
- How it is billed
- Added to your monthly mobile bill as a line item. Some are bundled into a higher plan tier instead of charged separately.
- Watch for
- Many are free or half price for the first 1–6 months, then renew at full price automatically. Set a reminder to review it.
- Examples
- A carrier "listen as much as you like" music pack, or a bundled / discounted service such as Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music or a carrier-branded service.
- How it is billed
- Charged to the mobile bill, or included in a plan tier. Data used by the bundled app is sometimes exempt from your data allowance.
- Watch for
- Check whether the discount needs a specific plan, and what happens to your saved playlists if you cancel later.
- Examples
- Point-programme tie-ins (d POINT, Ponta, PayPay points, Rakuten points) and shopping benefits linked to the carrier group.
- How it is billed
- Usually no separate fee — the benefit is extra points or discounts on purchases in that group's shops and apps.
- Watch for
- Points often expire, and may only be usable inside that company's ecosystem.
- Examples
- Handset warranty / repair-support plans, cloud photo storage, security apps, and phone-number-based ID services.
- How it is billed
- Monthly fee on the mobile bill. Warranty plans usually must be added at the time you buy the device.
- Watch for
- Campaigns sometimes require you to add one of these for the first month. Cancel it afterwards if you do not want it.
NTT DOCOMO, au, KDDI, SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile, ahamo, povo, LINEMO, UQ mobile, Y!mobile, and other carrier, brand and plan names are trademarks of their respective owners. Netflix, Disney+, DAZN, Amazon, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Music, Hulu, Lemino, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and other service names are trademarks of their respective owners. This is a personal site, not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them, and uses these names only to describe the services factually.
Common questions
How much does a mobile plan cost in Japan?
Your monthly bill is the plan (data and calls), any device installment, and any paid options — the plan and the device are separate costs. Undiscounted plan prices and standard call options for the nine brands this guide covers are listed in the current plan catalog.
What one-time fees are charged when I sign?
A contract handling fee — often around ¥4,950 at major-brand shops, and free to ¥3,850 or more online — and, at some agency shops, a shop "down payment" (頭金) added on top of the device price. Device installments, options and any same-month cancellation charge are separate from these.
What is a 頭金 (shop down payment)?
An extra amount some sales channels add on top of the phone price. It is decided by the individual shop or agency, not the carrier, so the same phone can cost more — or nothing extra — at another shop, a directly-run store or online. You can ask what it is and whether it can be removed.
Is there a cancellation fee?
Several current plans charge a small fee — commonly up to ¥1,100 — when a newly opened line is cancelled within about 12 months. The amount and the start-date rule differ by plan, and 8-day initial cancellation is excluded. Device installments and same-month charges are separate.
Is a shop or an online plan cheaper?
An online-focused plan often has no handling fee and no shop down payment, which can outweigh a small monthly price difference — but only if you are able to do the application, plan changes and support yourself, in a language you understand.
What is the difference between the device price and the service price?
The device is the hardware, often paid in monthly installments; the service is the plan you pay every month. They are separate agreements. Cancelling the service does not clear a device installment, and a "¥1" device offer changes only the device side of the bill.