Phone & internetSIMs and phone plans
Can a foreigner get Rakuten Mobile? Residence card rules, payment without a credit card, English support and coverage, from Rakuten's own pages.
As of October 2026, foreign residents can sign up for Rakuten Mobile with a residence card (在留カード). A foreign passport is not on its list of accepted ID. Plans cost ¥1,078 up to 3GB, ¥2,178 for 3 to 20GB and ¥3,278 unlimited. You can pay by credit card, Rakuten Bank debit or a Japanese bank transfer (¥110 a month). Most support is Japanese only, but there is an English line and shops hold English forms.
A foreigner can sign up for Rakuten Mobile with a residence card (在留カード), and you can pay without a Japanese credit card. Plans are ¥1,078 up to 3GB, ¥2,178 for 3 to 20GB and ¥3,278 unlimited a month, as of October 2026. The catch is language: most Rakuten support is Japanese only. Everything below comes from Rakuten’s own pages, and we have not scored it (see the end).
Yes, if you can show a valid residence card or a special permanent resident certificate (特別永住者証明書). Rakuten’s ID page lists these two for foreign nationals, plus diplomatic IDs. It does not list a foreign passport.
Three conditions apply:
The page does not say how many months must be left on your period of stay (在留期間). Ask a shop if your renewal is close.
You have two routes. The smartphone check (スマホでかんたん本人確認) reads the IC chip in your photo residence card. Rakuten says it fails if the chip does not hold your correct address. That happens if your address was not registered when the card was issued, or if you have not updated it since June 14, 2026.
If your card is a 特定在留カード, only the front is needed. Otherwise you upload the front and back.
Prices are monthly, including tax, as read on October 27, 2026. They do not include the family discount (最強家族割), which takes about ¥110 off each tier.
| Plan | Per month |
|---|---|
| Up to 3GB | ¥1,078 |
| 3GB to 20GB | ¥2,178 |
| Unlimited | ¥3,278 |
| 最強U-NEXT (unlimited) | ¥4,378 |
Speeds on the unlimited tiers may be limited. Calls in Japan are free through the Rakuten Link app, but cost ¥22 per 30 seconds from your phone’s standard dialer. Numbers starting 0570 are not free.
The first four lines under your name carry no contract administration fee (契約事務手数料). Rakuten’s plan pages do not state a contract term or a cancellation fee, and they do not list a SIM, eSIM or number-transfer (MNP) fee. Check these before you sign.
Yes, with limits. Rakuten accepts these for the monthly bill:
| Method | Notes |
|---|---|
| Credit card | Standard |
| Rakuten Bank debit and some other debit cards | Some may be declined, depending on the issuer |
| Bank transfer (口座振替) | ¥110 a month; no corporate accounts; Rakuten Points can’t be used |
Banks include Rakuten Bank, MUFG, Mizuho, SMBC, Resona, Japan Post Bank, PayPay Bank and Sony Bank. Rakuten’s page does not say whether a foreign-issued card works, and does not mention foreign residents at all. If you have no Japanese account yet, see our guide to opening a bank account as a foreigner or Rakuten Bank for foreigners.
Only partly. Rakuten’s contact page lists these channels:
| Channel | Hours | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Chat | 9:00 to 23:00, AI chat outside those hours | Japanese only, per the page |
| New application or number transfer: 0800-805-0090 | 9:00 to 17:00 | Japanese only, per the page |
| English Support: 0800-805-0805 | Listed as 9:00 to 5:00pm, 365 days | Can include a free phone interpreter |
The page contradicts itself. Its English Support section also says Rakuten can only respond to inquiries in Japanese. We could not confirm that a caller is served in English, so treat it as a phone interpreter service, not a guarantee.
Shops do better. Rakuten says English materials, including the Important Notice and application forms, are available at all shops, along with a point-and-speak phrase sheet. You can book a visit online. We could not confirm whether the Rakuten Mobile app is available in English.
Rakuten’s map (updated October 13, 2026) shows 5G millimeter wave, 5G Sub6, 4G LTE and “partner line” areas. In partner-line areas you connect through au roaming. 5G is available only in parts of the service area, and millimeter wave only in very limited spots.
Speeds can change underground, indoors and in large buildings. For a weak signal at home, Rakuten suggests a small indoor base station called Rakuten Casa, which does not support 5G.
The area page gives no population coverage percentage and no data cap for partner-line areas in Japan. Type your address into the map before you sign up.
We did not score Rakuten Mobile on its own: our phone and internet method compares a set of providers, and this page covers one. The SIM card comparison scores Rakuten Mobile against other providers, using the same method for each.
| Rakuten Mobile | |
|---|---|
| Cost for 3 to 20GB | ¥2,178 a month |
| Residence card accepted | Yes |
| Foreign passport listed | No |
| Pay without a credit card | Bank transfer (¥110 a month) or some debit cards |
| English support | Partial: English line, English forms in shops |
Rakuten suits you if you have a Japanese bank account, can handle a phone line in Japanese and want a low price. If you have just arrived with no Japanese bank account, a provider that takes foreign cards may be easier.
Rakuten’s English shop page does not list document requirements for foreign residents. Check its “What to Bring” guide before you go.
More guides: phone contracts for foreigners, keeping your number when you switch, home internet for foreigners, credit cards for foreigners.
Yes, a foreign resident can apply with a residence card (在留カード) or a special permanent resident certificate. Your name, address and date of birth must match the application, and the card must be valid. Rakuten's ID page does not list a foreign passport.
Partly. Rakuten's contact page lists an English Support number (0800-805-0805) that can include a free phone interpreter, but the same page says inquiries are handled in Japanese only. Shops have English forms and a phrase sheet.
Yes. Rakuten accepts Rakuten Bank debit, some other debit cards and a Japanese bank transfer (口座振替). The transfer costs ¥110 a month. Some debit cards may be declined, depending on the issuer.
The app check reads the IC chip, and it only works if the chip holds your correct address. If your address was not registered when the card was issued, or not updated since June 14, 2026, apply at a Rakuten Mobile shop instead.
Rakuten shows its own map and uses au roaming in partner-line areas. Its area page gives no population coverage figure, so check the map for your address. Speeds can vary indoors and underground.
Spotted something out of date or wrong? Email [email protected] and we will check it against the source. See our corrections policy.
SIMs and phone plans
Docomo au SoftBank foreigner rules compared: ID, passport, stay left, credit card and installment limits, and English support lines. As of October 2026.
SIMs and phone plans
Best SIM card in Japan for foreigners without a Japanese credit card: Sakura Mobile, Mobal and GTN take foreign cards or cash. Prices, ID rules and scores.
SIMs and phone plans
eSIM in Japan as a resident: what ahamo, povo, Rakuten Mobile and Sakura Mobile ask for with a residence card, and which cards are blocked as of October 2026.
