To call Japan from the US, dial 011 (the US exit code), then 81 (Japan's country code), then the Japanese number without its leading 0. A Tokyo number written 03-xxxx-xxxx becomes 011 81 3 xxxx xxxx; on a cell phone, hold 0 for + and dial +81 3 xxxx xxxx.
Calling Japan from the United States takes three things: the US exit code, Japan's country code, and the Japanese number with its leading zero removed. The zero is the step most people get wrong, and the 13 to 17 hour time difference is the second. This guide covers both, with the number formats you'll see on Japanese business cards and websites, a worked example, what it costs, and when LINE is the better choice.
The short version
| What you dial | For Japan | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| US exit code | 011 | Or + on a cell phone |
| Country code | 81 | All of Japan |
| Trunk prefix | 0 (drop it) | Japanese numbers are written with a leading 0 for calls inside Japan |
| Number after the 0 | 9 digits (landline) or 10 (mobile, 050) | For example 3 xxxx xxxx or 90 xxxx xxxx |
| Full pattern | 011 81 + number without the 0 | +81 on a cell phone |
The area and mobile codes you'll see:
| Code | Value | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| US exit code | 011 | Tells the US network the next digits are an international number |
| Japan country code | 81 | Routes the call to Japan |
| Japanese trunk prefix | 0 | Used only inside Japan; drop it when dialing from abroad |
| Tokyo area code | 3 (written 03) | Osaka is 6 (06), Nagoya 52 (052), Sapporo 11 (011) |
| Mobile prefixes | 70, 80, 90 (written 070, 080, 090) | Japan's regulator has also added 060 for new mobile numbers |
| IP phone prefix | 50 (written 050) | Internet phone numbers; dial them like mobiles |
One trap for Americans: Sapporo's area code is written 011, the same digits as the US exit code. They mean different things. From the US you dial 011 81 11 and then the local number.
Step by step from a US phone
- Find the full Japanese number. It usually starts with 0 and is written with hyphens, like 03-xxxx-xxxx (landline) or 090-xxxx-xxxx (mobile).
- Remove the first 0. 03 becomes 3, 090 becomes 90.
- Dial 011 (or + on a cell phone).
- Dial 81, Japan's country code.
- Dial the rest of the number, without hyphens.
- Wait a few seconds. International calls can take longer to connect than domestic ones, and the ringing tone in Japan sounds different from a US ring.
Saving a contact? Store it as +81 3 xxxx xxxx rather than 011 81 3 xxxx xxxx. The + form works from a US phone, from a phone roaming in Japan, and from messaging apps.
Japanese number formats
Japan's numbers are 10 digits (landlines) or 11 digits (mobiles and 050 IP phones) when written domestically with the leading 0. The ITU plan lists national significant numbers of 9 digits for geographic numbers and 10 digits for mobile and IP phone numbers, which is the same thing without the 0.
| Type | Written in Japan | Dialed from the US |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo landline | 03-xxxx-xxxx | 011 81 3 xxxx xxxx |
| Osaka landline | 06-xxxx-xxxx | 011 81 6 xxxx xxxx |
| Smaller city landline | 0xx-xxx-xxxx or 0xxx-xx-xxxx | 011 81, then the area code without 0, then the rest |
| Mobile | 090-xxxx-xxxx, 080-xxxx-xxxx, 070-xxxx-xxxx | 011 81 90 / 80 / 70, then 8 digits |
| New mobile range | 060-xxxx-xxxx | 011 81 60, then 8 digits |
| IP phone | 050-xxxx-xxxx | 011 81 50, then 8 digits |
| Freephone | 0120-xxx-xxx | Often can't be reached from abroad; ask for a regular number |
Because Japan's mobile numbers can be moved between carriers, you can't tell the carrier from the prefix, but you can always tell a mobile (070, 080, 090, 060) from a landline. That matters for cost, because many US carriers and apps price calls to Japanese mobiles differently from landlines.
Worked example
Japan's regulator doesn't publish numbers set aside for examples, so we use x's instead of real digits.
| Written in Japan as | Dial from a US landline | Dial from a US cell phone |
|---|---|---|
| 03-xxxx-xxxx (Tokyo office) | 011 81 3 xxxx xxxx | +81 3 xxxx xxxx |
| 090-xxxx-xxxx (mobile) | 011 81 90 xxxx xxxx | +81 90 xxxx xxxx |
| 050-xxxx-xxxx (IP phone) | 011 81 50 xxxx xxxx | +81 50 xxxx xxxx |
Say you run a US shop and a supplier in Tokyo gives you two numbers on a business card: an office line, 03-xxxx-xxxx, and a mobile, 090-xxxx-xxxx. You're in Chicago in October (US daylight time), and you want to reach the office when it opens at 9 a.m. Tokyo time.
- When to call: Japan is 14 hours ahead of Chicago in daylight time, so 9 a.m. Tuesday in Tokyo is 7 p.m. Monday in Chicago.
- Office line: drop the 0 from 03, then dial 011 81 3 xxxx xxxx. From a cell phone: +81 3 xxxx xxxx.
- Mobile: drop the 0 from 090, then dial 011 81 90 xxxx xxxx. From a cell phone: +81 90 xxxx xxxx.
- If it fails: check that you didn't keep the 0 (011 81 03 is the most common mistake), and that your plan allows international calls.
Time difference from the US
Japan Standard Time is UTC+9 all year. Japan doesn't change its clocks, so the gap only moves when US clocks do (IANA time zone database, checked October 18, 2026).
| US time zone | Japan is ahead by (US standard time, Nov to Mar) | Japan is ahead by (US daylight time, Mar to Nov) |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern (New York) | 14 hours | 13 hours |
| Central (Chicago) | 15 hours | 14 hours |
| Mountain (Denver) | 16 hours | 15 hours |
| Arizona (most of the state) | 16 hours | 16 hours |
| Pacific (Los Angeles) | 17 hours | 16 hours |
| Hawaii | 19 hours | 19 hours |
US clocks spring forward on the second Sunday of March and fall back on the first Sunday of November (15 U.S.C. § 260a). Most of Arizona and all of Hawaii stay on standard time all year, so for those states use the standard-time column year round.
In practice, Japan's working morning is the US evening of the day before. 9 a.m. Monday in Tokyo is 7 p.m. Sunday in New York in winter (8 p.m. in summer) and 4 p.m. Sunday in Los Angeles in winter (5 p.m. in summer). If you need a business on a Japanese Monday morning, call on your Sunday evening.
What it costs
We don't quote rates here because they change and depend on your plan. Here is what to check before you call:
- Your carrier's international rate page: Most US carriers list a per-minute rate for Japan, sometimes separate rates for landlines and mobiles, and some sell international add-ons that lower it.
- Calling apps: Services such as Google Voice publish per-minute rates by country on their rate pages. Compare the Japan landline and mobile lines before you rely on one.
- Free over the internet: If the person in Japan uses LINE, WhatsApp or FaceTime, an app-to-app call costs only data on both ends.
- Freephone numbers: 0120 and 0800 numbers are free for callers inside Japan but often can't be dialed from abroad. Ask for a regular number or an email address.
Texting and WhatsApp
You can text a Japanese mobile from a US phone: enter the number as +81 90 xxxx xxxx. Whether that costs extra depends on your plan, so check it. Japanese phones receive international SMS, but many people in Japan use SMS mostly for verification codes.
For everyday messages, LINE is the default in Japan. LY Corporation, which runs it, reported about 97 million monthly users in Japan as of March 31, 2024 (LY Corporation media guide, checked October 18, 2026). Many Japanese businesses have an official LINE account, and asking "Do you use LINE?" is normal. WhatsApp works too, but fewer people in Japan use it.
A note on etiquette: email is still the expected first contact for many Japanese companies, especially for a first business inquiry. A short email that suggests a call time in Japan time is often better received than a cold call.
Common mistakes
- Keeping the 0: 011 81 03… fails. It's 011 81 3….
- Confusing Sapporo's 011 with the US exit code: Sapporo's area code is written 011. From the US that becomes 011 81 11 and the local number.
- Calling during your business day: 9 a.m. in New York is 10 or 11 p.m. in Tokyo. Japan's morning is your previous evening.
- Dialing a 0120 freephone number: These usually work only inside Japan. Ask for a regular number or email.
- Expecting a reply by SMS: Many people in Japan use LINE or email for everyday messages. Ask how they prefer to be reached.
Sources
Country code, area codes and mobile ranges: the ITU entry for Japan (+81) in the ITU national numbering plans, communicated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. New 060 mobile numbers: MIC, 060 mobile numbers. LINE users: LY Corporation media guide. Exit code: FCC international calling tip sheet (011 is the US exit code). Clocks: IANA time zone database and 15 U.S.C. § 260a (US daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November). Japan publishes no numbers reserved for fiction that we could find, so examples use x placeholders. Checked October 18, 2026.
Where Chargezen fits
To be clear up front: Chargezen isn't an international calling service. It doesn't sell calling plans or numbers in Japan; its numbers are US (+1) numbers only. For calls to Japan, use your carrier, a calling app or WhatsApp as described above.
Where it helps is the other direction, when customers in Japan reach your US business. From Japan, customers dial 010 1 and your 10-digit US number (or +1 on a mobile). Because Japan is 13 to 14 hours ahead of the East Coast, their working day is your night. Concierge answers calls on your US number day and night, from the business details you give it. When a caller needs a person, Concierge alerts your team in the Finn app and the browser, and a teammate can join the live call. Calls, texts and notes for each customer stay in one thread in the team inbox.
See the phone channel and the AI receptionist, get a local or toll-free US number, or bring the number you already have. Concierge can also answer on WhatsApp when you connect a WhatsApp Business number.
Related terms: VoIP, toll-free number and number porting. Related guides: how to call Australia from the US and how to call Türkiye from the US. See also how to call the Philippines from the US.
Frequently asked questions
What is the country code for Japan?
81. From the US you dial 011 81, or +81 from a cell phone, before the number.
Do I drop the 0 when calling Japan?
Yes. The leading 0 is only for calls within Japan. 03-xxxx-xxxx becomes +81 3 xxxx xxxx.
How do I know if a Japanese number is a mobile?
Mobile numbers start with 070, 080 or 090, and newer ones may start with 060. Landlines start with 0 plus an area code like 03 (Tokyo) or 06 (Osaka). 050 numbers are internet phones.
Does Japan have daylight saving time?
No. Japan stays on UTC+9 all year, so the gap with the US changes by an hour only when US clocks change.
Can Chargezen call or text Japan?
Chargezen isn't an international calling service and offers US (+1) numbers only, and its texting is set up for US numbers. Use your carrier, a calling app or LINE for Japan. Chargezen answers the calls that customers in Japan make to your US number.
