questions about prepaid phones

In the Japanese page they require "Japanese passport".

http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/premobile/confirm/document.html

Another place that sells prepaid phones is AU. It is nice to see a new thread on this topic. To make the record clear, you cannot get a prepaid phone whatsoever from AU if you are classified as a temporary visitor (i.e. tourist visa). I have an alien registration card, live in an apartment, and all that. I showed it to them, but it was no good. They knew i would be here for less than 90 days, and explained to me that i cannot purchase a phone under these circumstances.

I am going to get one of my japanese friends to purchase one for me, this is probably the best way to do it. Pricing at AU was 4200 yen for the phone. This is in the Osaka city area by the way. Peace.

I went there last year on a Temporary VISA and stayed for just 1 month. I went to Softbank to buy a prepaid phone after many of the schools Foreign students got a prepaid phone. All they ask for was just a Passport, the place where I was currently staying in Japan and the address of my Home Country. With this I got my own Prepaid Cellphone. As I walk through the gates of the Airport and showed this to them (returning back home), none of the security staff actually asked or even cared about it.

So im asking what is going on here?

If this was Illegal, they should have taken it a way, but they did'nt.

As discussed in the above posts, its probably not illegal, but different companies seem to interpret the rule more strictly than others.

Regardless, the police would not confiscate your phone let alone airport security. It isn't part of their job and they have more important things to do.

hello !

ill be coming to japan for 3 months in September on a tourist visa and I really want, need a keitai ! Has anyone try to get a prepaid one at that Vodaphone shop in Shibuya ? Did it work ? Please let me know ! Thank you !

sorry meant SoftBank not Vodafone in Shibuya... thanks !

If you read ALL of this thread, you will find out that you should be able to buy one at the Shibuya Softbank.

I arrive to Chubu/Nagoya airport on 19 October and move to Kyoto on the same day. Does anyone know if in both cities is there any reatailer selling prepaid phones (or at least SIM cards) to a temporay visitor like me (as the Shibuya and Roppongi Softbank shops do)?

i will be in japan for a visit in nov and i am looking to have my friend p/u a softbank prepaid keitai for me (a 3g model), although now that i know i can get one from softbank shibuya etc on my own, i may do that too. question: when i return to hawaii, can it be unlocked and used?? (i've seen online that some softbank models are sold for a few hundred dollars for use in the states) i'd appreciate any info on this... yoroshiku!

theFUNKYhouse -

There are a number of companies at Centrair that rent SIM cards and cellphones, which may be a better option depending on how long you are staying in Japan.

ekmm -

While many Japanese phones can be used overseas while roaming on a Japanese cell phone plan, they (generally speaking) cannot be practically unlocked and used with a US carrier.

We were in Japan only for a short time (14 days)we tried to use our Aussie 3G 2100band phone for SMS only, and used prepaid phone cards to ring long distance (ie home) trouble was our Japanese friends and relatives didn't have sms capability on their mobile phones, so we had to make short calls to them..it depends on how long you are in Japan for, and whether you really need a phone ....

fmj -

May I know which phone you brought to japan? I'm thinking of doing the same thing and just purchasing pre-paid cards. Do you know which prepaid card you bought too?

yllwsmrf or sandy, since both of you seem to know more about the prepaid keitais out there, maybe you can help me: my friend just called shibuya and roppongi for me the other day, but was told i must have gaijin torokusho. do you know if its different from a few months ago when it was mentioned that all i needed was a passport and hotel address? (she was also told that if i was there for over 90 days, i didnt need a gaijin torokusho...)

also, does anyone know where i can get a prepaid 3g softbank 705px? my friend cant seem to find it anywhere and i really want one. thanks much!!!!