Cell phone for a Card-less Student

I WON'T HAVE MY ALIEN REGISTRATION CARD YET!!!

I'm not entirely sure how it works, but I don't think I'll have my alien registration card yet, so how can I get a cell phone?

I can't imagine not have a phone. I'm not addicted to talking or e-mail, but I like having the access. ESPECIALLY for when I inevitably get lost. I would rather try to ask my host family or someone that I know can speak English instead of playing "Guess what kid passed Eigo 101 and can give me directions" every day for the first month.

Anyways, what companies should I try?

Should I get a short-term rental outside of Japan and then go look for a better deal when I get my alien registration card?

Which companies do you suggest from personal experience?
- for the possible short-term rental
- for the longer term

(Please don't just list companies, please suggest those that you or your friends think are good.)

Once again, I'm not too sure how this works. All I know is that I need that ruddy card to get one inside Japan and that GSM's don't work.

To get an idea of my phone usage. Right now in the US I rarely make voice calls. I only call my mom once a day to pick me up from school. And then if necessary, I'll use my phone for some miscellaneous business (college, the exchange program people, customer service, etc.). Mostly, I text every once in a while. But I usually talk to people online when I get home. So this new phone in Japan would likely be pretty light access as well.

Suggestions? Help?

Your municipal office (e.g. city hall) can issue you a document that says that you are registered even before you receive the actual card. You can try to get a subscription phone with that document. Alternatively a few days on a rental phone sounds easy.

Worst case situation you can get a japanese resident friend to sort out the complication without a alien registration card or the cert they give. My first visit to Japan went this way. No drama's at all. This was with softbank.

Noone should recommend you what network to use, I suggest you use the same one most of your friends are using.