Get a Virtual Japanese Phone Number

A Japanese VoIP phone number lets you make and receive calls over the internet instead of traditional landlines. It’s not tied to a SIM or physical office, which makes it ideal for remote teams and global businesses entering the Asia-Pacific market.

Key characteristics of Japan VoIP numbers:

• Internet-based calling: Cut costs on local, long-distance, and international calls.
• Use from any device: Make and receive calls via desktop, laptop, or mobile app.
• Flexible scalability: Add or remove Japanese lines remotely without extra hardware.
• Local caller identity: Display a recognizable Japanese area code or toll-free prefix.

VoIP providers like CloudTalk deliver Japan numbers through licensed carriers, ensuring high-quality connections, crystal-clear audio, reliability, and full compliance with MIC (the Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications).

Buying a virtual Japanese phone number with CloudTalk is fast and straightforward, though some local number types require additional verification.

Steps to get a virtual Japanese phone number:

1. Choose a VoIP provider: Select a business calling platform like CloudTalk with carrier-approved coverage in Japan.
2. Select your number type: Choose between fixed (local/geographic), national, or toll-free numbers.
3. Pick an area code: For example, +81 3 for Tokyo or +81 45 for Yokohama.
4. Provide documentation: For example, company registration, proof of address, and an ID of the authorized representative.
5. Activate and configure features: Once active, set up call routing, IVR, voicemail, or analytics inside CloudTalk.

With CloudTalk, local Japanese numbers are typically approved & activated in 15–25 business days, while national and toll-free lines are available much faster.

There are several types of Japanese virtual phone numbers, each serving different business goals and communication needs.

Basic types of Japanese virtual numbers include:

1. Local numbers: Use real city-based area codes like +81 3 (Tokyo) or +81 6 (Osaka). These numbers are ideal for building regional trust and achieving higher answer rates, especially for businesses targeting customers in major urban centers.
2. Toll-Free Numbers: Toll-free Japanese prefixes like 0120 and 0800 allow anyone in Japan to call your business free of charge. They’re perfect for nationwide customer support lines, inbound campaigns, or service hotlines that need to be easily accessible from anywhere.
3. Shared-Cost or Premium Numbers: Shared-cost numbers, such as 0990, split the call cost between you and the caller. They’re commonly used for paid information, entertainment, or helpdesk services, though they’re tightly regulated by the MIC.
4. Mobile Numbers: Virtual Japanese mobile numbers use prefixes like +81 70 or +81 80. They support both voice and SMS communication, making them ideal for text confirmations, WhatsApp Business verification, and two-way customer messaging.
5. National Numbers: Japanese national phone numbers, typically in the 0AB0 format, give your business a unified presence across Japan without being tied to a specific region. They’re well-suited for large enterprises, distributed teams, and organizations operating nationwide.
6. Vanity Numbers: Custom or easy-to-remember numbers like 0120-YOURBIZ help your business stand out and make it easier for customers to recall your contact number. Vanity numbers are usually managed directly by Japanese carriers and may not be available through VoIP providers.

Providers like CloudTalk focus on the most reliable and compliant formats—fixed (local), national, and toll-free numbers—delivered through licensed Japanese carriers to ensure consistent call quality, coverage, and regulatory compliance.

A Japanese virtual phone number is essential for companies that want to operate, sell, or support customers in Japan—without the cost of opening a local branch.

Common use cases when businesses need a virtual phone number for Japan:

• Japan Market Entry: Build local trust quickly without establishing a physical office.
• Remote Sales or Support Teams: Equip international agents with +81 caller IDs for a local presence.
• Japanese Advertising Campaigns: Use toll-free or national numbers to track inbound performance.
• Customer Service Outsourcing: Route calls internationally while appearing local to Japanese customers.
• APAC Expansion: Create a unified communication layer across Japan and other Asia-Pacific markets.

Modern VoIP systems like CloudTalk make it easy to manage all your virtual numbers from one dashboard—across cities, regions, and even countries.

All Japanese phone numbers follow this format: +81 (Area Code) XXXX XXXX or +81 (Mobile Prefix) X XXXX XXXX.

Here are examples of common Japanese area codes and prefixes:

• +81 3: Tokyo
• +81 6: Osaka
• +81 45: Yokohama
• +81 52: Nagoya
• +81 70 / +81 80 / +81 90: Mobile numbers
• 0120 / 0800: Toll-free
• 0990: Shared-cost or premium

Choosing the right prefix helps your business appear local to your target audience and boosts answer rates nationwide. After all, customers are far more likely to pick up when they recognize a familiar +81 city or toll-free number.

A virtual Japanese phone number helps your business appear local, reduce costs, and deliver a more reliable customer experience across all Japanese prefectures.

Key business benefits of virtual Japanese phone numbers:

• Build instant local trust: Japanese customers are more likely to answer calls from familiar +81 prefixes.
• Reduce costs: Cut down on expensive international lines by using VoIP-based calling.
• CRM integration: Automatically log and sync every call and contact interaction.
• Regulatory compliance: All CloudTalk numbers comply with MIC standards.
• Scalable setup: Instantly add new agents, departments, or regions from the same dashboard.
• 24/7 availability: Use smart routing, IVR, or AI Voice Agents & virtual receptionists to support customers across time zones in multiple languages.

Top Japanese virtual number providers like CloudTalk enhance these advantages with AI-powered analytics, multilingual automation, and seamless CRM integrations—helping your team scale faster and smarter without sacrificing compliance or quality.

To use a Japanese number with WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business, it must support SMS or voice verification.

Japanese local and mobile numbers may be eligible for WhatsApp and SMS, depending on the carrier—but only if they are Twilio-based and pass MIC compliance checks. Toll-free numbers are not supported for either use case.

CloudTalk helps verify compatibility and activate numbers that meet WhatsApp’s verification criteria.

SMS functionality in Japan depends on both the number type and the carrier’s routing setup..

• Mobile numbers: Best for two-way SMS; suitable for verifications, OTPs, and notifications.
• Fixed or national numbers: Typically outbound-only; inbound SMS is limited.
• Toll-free numbers: Do not support SMS functionality.

CloudTalk verifies SMS compatibility during setup and ensures compliance with MIC and carrier-level messaging rules.

While many VoIP providers offer Japan coverage, CloudTalk stands out for helping growing SMBs enter and navigate regulated markets like Japan with ease.

You’ll benefit from:

• End-to-end support through the setup and configuration process
• AI-powered call analytics and a wide array of automation tools
• CRM and helpdesk integrations with HubSpot, Salesforce, and more
• Carrier-grade reliability and compliance with Japanese telecom laws
• Transparent pricing and multilingual support teams

CloudTalk goes beyond providing phone numbers—it helps your business build trust, stay compliant, and grow confidently across Japan and the entire Asia-Pacific region.