An international call is a phone call made between different countries. When calling from Japan, you dial the international access code 010 + country code + the recipient's phone number (omitting the leading 0). For example, to call New York (country code 1) at 212-555-1234, you dial 010-1-212-555-1234. From mobile phones, you can also long-press "+" and enter the country code directly.
Fee structures vary significantly depending on the calling method. Traditional phone line services (NTT, KDDI, SoftBank international calling) charge approximately 20-200 yen per minute depending on the destination country. Calls to the US and Europe are relatively affordable, while calls to Africa and Pacific Islands are expensive. Mobile unlimited calling plans almost always exclude international calls, and unknowingly making such calls can result in high bills. On the other hand, VoIP services like LINE, Skype, and WhatsApp enable international calls for free or just a few yen per minute via the internet.
International call-related fraud also requires caution. The international version of one-ring scams involves numbers from Africa or Pacific Islands ringing once and hanging up to lure callbacks. Calling back connects to premium-rate numbers with high charges. The rule is to never call back unfamiliar international numbers starting with +. Additionally, caller ID spoofing can make international calls appear as domestic numbers, so judging safety by the displayed number alone is dangerous.
For incoming calls to Japan (calling Japan from abroad), dial Japan's country code +81 followed by the number with the leading 0 removed (e.g., 03-1234-5678 becomes +81-3-1234-5678). Managing numbers in E.164 format makes number conversion smooth for international calls. Review the latest fraud patterns in international phone scam techniques and calling details in the Japan country code guide.