Problems if no phone no?

Hi, I’m going to be travelling in Japan for 6 months in 2023. I understand that I won’t be able to get a phone number for my phone but I can get a data only sim card. What is concerning me is that for so many things on the internet they verify your identity by texting you a code. This happens with my bank, when there is a suspect use of my email address, and when you sign up for things. It seems so routine nowadays. So I have a concern that I ll be locked out of my email / bank account and not be able to get back in. Is this actually a problem anyone has encountered, or are there ways round it?

Also, it seems from what I’m reading that most accommodations want you to call them. Which if I’ve not got voice calls, I can’t do. Presumably everyone is doing that from public phones? … Any comments appreciated.

It sounds like you already know the answer to your question.

- You use services which require a phone number with some regularity.
- You are not going to have a phone number.
- You are going to struggle to access those services.

Sorry if this seems obvious but I recommend that you figure out a way to use your phone abroad for making any calls you need to. I don't know what the situation with receiving text messages is with a foreign phone in Japan since it's been so long since I've needed to and anyone who wants to text me just uses WhatsApp or LINE anyway, but it should be doable. Alternatively make alternative arrangements with any essential services you want to access. For example, I use a battery-powered card reader to access online banking meaning I don't have to rely on text messages.

For calling someone you could use Skype. You can call to landlines.

You could get an 050 number easily enough. VoIP works very well.
I have my phone for the country where I have a bank account and can access it(texts and two-factor auth) here in Japan. You could do the same. Not sure what "accommodations want you to call them" as I have never encountered that.
For the majority of the phone calls I do it is Line-to-Line and actual phone calls to another mobile/landline number is very infrequent (I do maybe one a year).

There are services that exist in Japan that offer sim cards you can use with a temporary phone number if you really need that. They just do month by month contracts instead of yearly ones. I think the one I looked at before was called "Sakura mobile". Just look around online. When I visited Japan in the past, I've stayed for a month and I was able to receive text messages still, despite being in another country.

In regards to data, you can also rent a pocket wifi if you really need to and that way you can always have data without needing the actual phone number. Just look into the options they offer online.