Getting a Contract Phone in Japan

Hi everyone!

I will be going to Japan for a year in less than a month and I am desperately trying to figure out what I can do for a cellphone. I am aware of the options (SIM, contract, etc.) however I am finding that there are actually no solid answers and that I am nowhere near figuring out a solution.

I am currently exploring the option of getting a contract in Japan and then paying the cancellation fees when I leave next August. However, I don't know which company would offer me the best plan (I want a smartphone with data and I'm not fond of iPhone)...and also how much the cancellation fees are.

Thanks in advance for the help!

I will be going to Japan for a year in less than a month and I am desperately trying to figure out what I can do for a cellphone.

What exactly is your situation? Will you be a student? What will your residency status be? What are your needs? What's your budget?

For example:

However, I don't know which company would offer me the best plan

The three major carrier have similar plans at similar prices, but generally, Docomo tends to be slightly more expensive but with great coverage, Softbank is cheaper but their coverage lags a little, while au is cheap for students.

(I want a smartphone with data and I'm not fond of iPhone)

All carriers offer a huge variety of android phones

...and also how much the cancellation fees are.

Roughly 10,000 yen plus the remaining cost of the phone if you purchased it on subsidy.

I will be an exchange student there for one year. I know that students from my university have gotten contract phones in the past.

I'm not sure about my budget but cheaper is of course better. I think that anything more that 70,000 yen would make me a little uncomfortable.

Another cheaper option,
just get a 'new' 2nd hand smartphone (docomo), check

http://iosys.co.jp/cgi-bin/zaiko_list/list.php?BG=01&SG=01
http://www.musbi.net/sys/c/116107101.html

and get yourself a sim (Voice+Data) from either bmobile, ocn mobile etc., which is a fraction of the 3 major phone co.

I will be an exchange student there for one year. I know that students from my university have gotten contract phones in the past.

Ok, just checking. Students with one year visas can get contracts at some carriers so you should be able to find something. Specifically look into au as they have a significant student discount.

I'm not sure about my budget but cheaper is of course better. I think that anything more that 70,000 yen would make me a little uncomfortable.

Contract may not be for you then unless you can get one with au. Note that a typical smartphone alone costs around your budget, and while half will be subsidized by your monthly payments, when you leave you'll probably have around a 40,000-50,000 yen balance that you'll need to pay to quit.

Ah, converted wrong. I'm sorry. I meant monthly payments being more than 7000 \

Ah, converted wrong. I'm sorry. I meant monthly payments being more than 7000 \

and get yourself a sim (Voice+Data) from either bmobile, ocn mobile etc., which is a fraction of the 3 major phone co.

Be very careful where you get it, however, because as I have learned the hard way, most virtual carriers quite plainly suck.

http://kakuyasu-sim.jp/speed-test-on-8-3-2015