🇯🇵 Japan Phone Number Format
Japanese phone numbers are 10 or 11 digits in national format. Mobiles use the 070, 080 and 090 prefixes (11 digits nationally). Tokyo landlines start with 03, Osaka with 06 (10 digits nationally). In all cases the leading 0 is dropped behind +81: 090 1234 5678 becomes +81 90 1234 5678 internationally.
A Japanese Mobile in Four Standard Formats
Here is how one Japan number is written in each of the four standards:
| Format | Example | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| E.164 | +819012345678 | Databases, SMS APIs (Twilio, WhatsApp), CRMs |
| International | +81 90 1234 5678 | Display to a global audience, business cards |
| National | 090 1234 5678 | Domestic display inside Japan |
| RFC3966 | tel:+81-90-1234-5678 | Clickable tel: links on websites |
MIC, Variable-Length Area Codes and the 050 IP Phone Range
Japan's numbering is administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC). The national plan is "open" for landlines: area codes range from two digits (03 Tokyo, 06 Osaka) to five digits for rural prefectures, with subscriber numbers of the complementary length to always reach a total of 10 to 11 digits nationally. The practical consequence is that no simple length rule validates a Japanese landline — only a lookup against the MIC area code table, which is exactly what libphonenumber embeds.
Mobile numbering is simpler: 070, 080, and 090 each followed by eight digits for 11 digits nationally. NTT Docomo, SoftBank, and au (KDDI) share these ranges; there is no strict per-carrier allocation that is stable over time due to number portability. IP phones (0AB~J numbers such as 050) add a third format that can appear in both domestic and business contexts but cannot be reached from abroad without a full +81 50 XXXX XXXX form.
Japan retired the analogue era convention of writing area codes in parentheses — modern style omits them. A Tokyo number is written 03-1234-5678 (hyphen, no parentheses) nationally, and +81-3-1234-5678 internationally. The single hyphen after +81 and the two-digit Tokyo code often confuses formatters expecting three-digit area codes.
070/080/090 Mobiles and Variable Landline Area Codes
Type Prefixes Digits Example Mobile 070, 080, 090 11 (incl. leading 0) 090 1234 5678 IP phone 050 11 050 1234 5678 Tokyo landline 03 10 03 1234 5678 Osaka landline 06 10 06 1234 5678 Freephone 0120, 0800 11 0120 123 456
Calling Japan: Drop the Zero After +81
Calling from Dial Within Japan 090 1234 5678 — Keep the leading 0 domestically. From the US 011 81 90 1234 5678 — Drop the leading 0. From any mobile +81 90 1234 5678
- Enter + or your country's international exit code.
- Add the Japanese country code 81.
- Drop the leading 0 from the Japanese number.
- Dial the remaining digits — e.g. 90 1234 5678.
Japanese Numbering Essentials
- The leading 0 of Japanese mobile (090, 080, 070) and landline area codes is always dropped after +81.
- Japanese landline area codes range from 2 to 5 digits — Tokyo's 03 is two digits, which is shorter than most callers expect.
- 050 IP phone numbers are valid domestic numbers but may not be reachable internationally without the +81 prefix.
- Number length varies: Tokyo landlines are 10 digits nationally; mobiles are 11; rural landlines can also be 11.
Japanese Area Codes by City
Area code Region 03Tokyo (23 wards) 06Osaka 052Nagoya 011Sapporo 092Fukuoka 045Yokohama 075Kyoto 022Sendai
Format a Japanese Number Instantly
Works with 090 mobiles, Tokyo 03 landlines, and IP 050 numbers — outputs clean +81 E.164 for any SMS gateway or CRM.
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| Original | E.164 | International | National | Valid |
|---|
Japan Phone Format FAQ
How do I write a Japanese mobile number in international format?
Drop the leading 0 and add +81: 090 1234 5678 becomes +81 90 1234 5678, or +819012345678 in strict E.164 for APIs and databases.
What do Japanese mobile numbers start with?
Japanese mobiles start with 070, 080, or 090 nationally (+81 70, +81 80, or +81 90 internationally). The 050 range is for IP phones, not traditional mobiles.
How many digits does a Japanese phone number have?
It varies. Mobiles are 11 digits nationally (0X0 + 8 digits). Tokyo landlines are 10 (03 + 8 digits). Osaka is also 10 (06 + 8). Rural areas may use 5-digit area codes with shorter subscriber numbers, also totalling 10 or 11.
What is the area code for Tokyo?
Tokyo's area code is 03 (two digits). A full Tokyo number is 10 digits nationally: 03-XXXX-XXXX. Internationally: +81-3-XXXX-XXXX (the trunk 0 is dropped, leaving just "3").
How do I call Japan from the United States?
Dial 011 81 followed by the Japanese number without its leading 0: for a Tokyo office, 011 81 3 1234 5678; for a mobile, 011 81 90 1234 5678. From a mobile, +81 works directly.