A toll-free number is a general term for phone numbers where the receiving party (typically a business) pays the call charges instead of the caller. In Japan, numbers beginning with 0120 and 0800 are used, with Free Dial (0120) as the best-known example; internationally they are called Toll-Free Numbers. Since customers can inquire without worrying about call charges, they are widely used for customer support and order processing.
The difference between 0120 and 0800 starts with the digit count. 0120 numbers, best known through "Free Dial" (a service name of NTT Docomo Business, formerly NTT Communications), have 10 digits (0120-XXX-XXX), while 0800 numbers have 11 (0800-XXX-XXXX). Because 0800 numbers are the same length as Japanese mobile numbers, an unfamiliar 0800 caller ID is sometimes mistaken for a call from a mobile phone, yet 0800 calls are still free for the caller. The two ranges differ in how much room is left: in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications listing of assigned telephone numbers, almost the entire 0120 range has already been allocated to carriers (as of June 2024), leaving very little to hand out, while less than a tenth of the 0800 range has been allocated (as of December 2025). A business setting up a new toll-free number therefore has more room to work with on the 0800 side.
A commonly confused number is Navi Dial (0570). Navi Dial is not a toll-free number - the caller pays the charges. Moreover, it is excluded from mobile unlimited calling plans, making it effectively expensive for callers. The leading four digits decide which side pays, so it helps to remember the pair: 0120 and 0800 are free for the caller, 0570 is not.
The cost structure for businesses adopting toll-free numbers consists of a monthly base fee plus per-call charges, with amounts varying by provider and contract. Because the charges accumulate with every incoming call, the more inquiries a line receives, the harder its monthly cost is to predict. The decision comes down to whether lowering the barrier to contact is worth paying the callers' charges yourself. A number built around a vanity number is easier to remember, which is why such numbers are chosen for contact details printed in advertising or on product packaging. Review the adoption benefits in Free Dial business applications and fee structure differences in Free Dial vs. Navi Dial comparison.