What is the country code for Japan?

Japan's country code is +81, assigned by the ITU under the E.164 standard. When calling from the US, dial 011 + 81 or simply +81 from a mobile phone.

How much does Sayfone charge to call Japan from the US?

Sayfone offers calls to Japan at $0.36 per minute with transparent per-minute pricing. You can call directly from your browser with no app download required.

Do I need to drop the 0 when calling a Japanese mobile number internationally?

Yes. Japanese mobile numbers start with 090, 080, or 070 domestically. When calling from abroad, drop the leading 0 and dial +81 90, +81 80, or +81 70 followed by the 8-digit subscriber number.

What time should I call Japan from the US East Coast?

Japan is 13 hours ahead of US Eastern Daylight Time and 14 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. To reach someone during Japanese business hours (9 AM–6 PM JST), call between 7 PM and 4 AM EDT. Japan does not observe daylight saving time.

Can I call Japanese toll-free numbers (0120) from the US?

Typically no. Japanese toll-free numbers beginning with 0120 or 0800 are intended for domestic callers. To reach the business internationally, look for their standard landline number on their website.

What is the area code for Tokyo when calling from the US?

Tokyo's domestic area code is 03. When dialing from the US, drop the leading 0 and dial +81 3 followed by the 8-digit local number (e.g., 011-81-3-1234-5678).

How many digits is a Japanese phone number?

A Japanese landline number is 10 digits long domestically (including the leading 0), or 9 digits after +81 when dialing internationally. Mobile numbers are 11 digits domestically, or 10 digits after +81.

Quick Answer

How to Call Japan from the United States

To call Japan from the US: dial 011 + 81 + area code or mobile prefix (drop the leading 0) + local number. On a mobile phone, you can use +81 instead of 011. Sayfone lets you call Japan at $0.36/min directly from your browser — no app download required.

Start calling

Cost tools

🇺🇸From United States

To Japan🇯🇵

$0.36

Per minute

+81

Country code

Call quality

Landline rate

$0.36/min

Mobile rate

$0.36/min

Same per-minute Sayfone rate for landline and mobile.

Average call quality

Japan is a key business corridor for US callers. Whether you're reaching a Tokyo office, an Osaka supplier, or a mobile contact, the dialing sequence is the same — only the area code or mobile prefix changes.

Steps at a glance

Dial 011 (US international access code) or use + on a mobile phone
Dial 81 (Japan's country code)
Dial the area code or mobile prefix, omitting the leading 0
Dial the local subscriber number

Sources

1
ITU National Numbering Plan — Japan (country code +81)
Country code and number length verification
2
Telephone numbers in Japan — Wikipedia
Area code structure and mobile prefix reference

DIALING GUIDE

Step-by-Step: Calling Japan from the US

Follow these steps to connect to any Japanese landline or mobile number from the United States.

1
Dial the US international access code
From a US landline or business phone, dial 011. From a US mobile phone, you can press and hold 0 to produce the + symbol, which replaces 011.
```
011 …
```
2
Dial Japan's country code
Enter 81, Japan's country code assigned by the ITU under the E.164 standard.
```
011 + 81 …
```
3
Dial the area code or mobile prefix (drop the leading 0)
For a Japanese landline, enter the area code without the leading 0. For example, Tokyo's domestic code 03 becomes 3. For a Japanese mobile number starting with 090, 080, or 070, drop the leading 0 so 090 becomes 90.
```
011 + 81 + 3 … (Tokyo landline) or 011 + 81 + 90 … (mobile)
```
4
Dial the local subscriber number
Complete the call by dialing the remaining digits of the subscriber number. Japanese landline numbers after +81 are typically 9 digits total (area code + local number). Mobile numbers after +81 are typically 10 digits total (prefix + subscriber).
```
011 + 81 + 3 + 1234-5678 (Tokyo landline) or 011 + 81 + 90 + 1234-5678 (mobile)
```

Dialing format reference

+81

Use these patterns when entering a full international number to +81.

Mobile

+81 [70/80/90]-XXXX-XXXX

Landline

+81 [area code]-XXXX-XXXX

+81 3 1234 5678 (Tokyo landline)
+81 6 1234 5678 (Osaka landline)
+81 90 1234 5678 (mobile)

Major city area codes

Tokyo3

Osaka6

Yokohama45

Nagoya52

Sapporo11

Kyoto75

Kobe78

Fukuoka92

Sources

1
ITU National Numbering Plan — Japan (country code +81)
Authoritative source for Japan's numbering plan and digit lengths
2
List of dialing codes in Japan — Wikipedia
Area code and mobile prefix reference

DIALING RULES

Key Rules for Calling Japan from the US

Japan's numbering plan has a few important quirks. Keep these rules in mind to avoid failed calls.

Always drop the leading 0

Japanese domestic numbers begin with a trunk prefix 0 (e.g., 03 for Tokyo, 090 for mobile). When dialing internationally, always omit this leading 0 after entering +81. Dialing +81-03 will not connect.

Area code length varies by region

Japan uses variable-length area codes: major cities like Tokyo (3) and Osaka (6) have 1-digit codes after dropping the 0, while smaller cities use 2–4 digit codes (e.g., Yokohama is 45, Nagoya is 52). The total number of digits after +81 is always 9 for landlines and 10 for mobiles.

Mobile numbers use 70, 80, or 90 prefixes

Japanese mobile numbers start with 070, 080, or 090 domestically. Internationally, dial +81 followed by 70, 80, or 90 (without the leading 0), then 8 subscriber digits. There is no separate area code for mobile numbers.

Use + or 011 — both work

From US phones, 011 is the international access code. On mobile phones, the + symbol (long-press 0) achieves the same result. Either prefix followed by 81 will route to Japan.

Some special numbers may not work internationally

Toll-free numbers (0120, 0800) and special service numbers (110, 119) are typically domestic-only and may not be reachable from outside Japan. If you need to reach a Japanese business's toll-free line, look for their standard landline number instead.

TIMING & TIPS

When to Call Japan from the US

Japan Standard Time (JST) is UTC+9, and Japan does not observe daylight saving time. The US spans multiple time zones with DST shifts, so the offset changes seasonally.

🇯🇵

During US Eastern Daylight Time (March–November), Japan is 13 hours ahead of the US East Coast. During US Eastern Standard Time (November–March), Japan is 14 hours ahead. Adjust accordingly for Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones.

Time & windows

US East Coast → Japan

+13h (EDT) / +14h (EST)

9 AM EDT = 10 PM JST same day

US West Coast → Japan

+16h (PDT) / +17h (PST)

5 PM PDT = 9 AM JST next day

🇺🇸Best for business calls (JST 9 AM–6 PM)

7 PM–4 AM EDT / 4 PM–1 AM PDT (previous day in US)These US times shift by 1 hour when DST is not in effect.

🇺🇸Best for personal calls (JST 7 PM–10 PM)

5 AM–8 AM EDT / 2 AM–5 AM PDTEvening in Japan, early morning in the US.

Calling tips

Save Japanese contacts in +81 format so your phone routes calls correctly regardless of your location.
If you regularly call Japan for business, scheduling calls around 5–7 PM US Eastern / 6–8 AM JST catches the start of the Japanese business day.
Sayfone lets you call Japan at $0.36/min from your browser with transparent per-minute pricing — useful for business calls where you want predictable costs.

Business etiquette

Japanese business culture values punctuality — call at the agreed time.
Begin calls with a polite greeting. If speaking Japanese, 'もしもし' (moshi moshi) is standard for phone greetings.
Avoid calling Japanese contacts during lunch (12 PM–1 PM JST) unless previously arranged.
Many Japanese professionals prefer text-based follow-ups after a call; consider sending a summary email.

Sources

1
Japan Standard Time — Wikipedia
JST is UTC+9 with no DST

TROUBLESHOOTING

Common Issues Calling Japan from the US

If your call to Japan isn't connecting, check these common causes before redialing.

Call fails immediately after dialing

The most common cause is forgetting to drop the leading 0 from the Japanese number. Dial +81 3 XXXX XXXX, not +81 03 XXXX XXXX. Also verify you're using 011 (or +) before 81.

Wrong number or unexpected recording

Double-check the area code for the region you're calling. Japan has variable-length area codes, so a mismatched code can route to the wrong region or a disconnected number.

Cannot reach a toll-free or special number

Japanese toll-free numbers (0120, 0800) and emergency numbers (110, 119) are generally for domestic use. Look for the business's standard landline number for international calls.

Poor audio quality or dropped calls

If calling via a browser-based service like Sayfone, ensure you have a stable internet connection. Close bandwidth-heavy applications and try a wired connection if available.

Savings

See what you could save

Adjust the tools below to compare Sayfone with typical retail pricing for calls to Japan. Start with one call, then layer on monthly volume to see the bigger picture.

How to use these tools

Sayfone uses your live rate for calls to Japan — the same basis as the rest of this page.
First, estimate savings on a single call length. Then, model a full month of minutes versus typical retail benchmarks.
Retail competitor rows are illustrative — not a quote from any carrier.