What Is Country Code +81?
+81 is the country code that the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) assigned to Japan. You use it when calling Japan from overseas, or when writing a Japanese phone number in international format. The basic rule is to replace the leading "0" of the domestic number with "+81." Getting this right prevents misdials and failed connections on international calls.
Country codes are assigned to each country under ITU-T recommendation E.164. Japan holds +81, while South Korea holds +82 and China holds +86. Country codes matter beyond phone calls: you need them to register a contact in messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram, and to enter a phone number on overseas web services. For how the digit lengths of Japanese numbers changed over time, see The History of Phone Number Digit Lengths in Japan.
Basic Conversion Rule
To convert a domestic number to international format, replace the leading "0" with "+81." That "0" is the domestic trunk prefix, a marker showing the call stays inside Japan, so international format leaves it out. Counting the leading 0, a Japanese landline number has 10 digits and a mobile number has 11, so the part that follows +81 is 9 digits for a landline and 10 digits for a mobile.
- Landline (Tokyo): 03-1234-5678 becomes +81-3-1234-5678
- Landline (Osaka): 06-1234-5678 becomes +81-6-1234-5678
- Landline (Yokohama): 045-123-4567 becomes +81-45-123-4567
- Mobile: 090-1234-5678 becomes +81-90-1234-5678
- IP phone: 050-1234-5678 becomes +81-50-1234-5678
- Free Dial: 0120-123-456 becomes +81-120-123-456, though these numbers often cannot be reached from overseas
How to Call Japan from Overseas
Start with your own country's international prefix (in many countries "00", or simply "+"), then dial Japan's country code 81, then the rest of the number with the leading 0 removed. On a smartphone, "+" is the simplest approach: press and hold the 0 key to enter it.
Examples by Country
- United States or Canada to Tokyo: 011-81-3-1234-5678, or +81-3-1234-5678. The US international prefix is 011
- United Kingdom to a mobile: 00-81-90-1234-5678, or +81-90-1234-5678. The UK international prefix is 00
- China to Japan: 00-81-3-1234-5678, or +81-3-1234-5678. The Chinese international prefix is 00
- South Korea to Japan: 001-81-3-1234-5678, or +81-3-1234-5678. South Korea has several international prefixes, including 001 and 002
- From a smartphone, anywhere: +81-3-1234-5678. Press and hold the 0 key to enter "+"
Calling Overseas from Japan
From Japan, dial the international access code 010, then the country code of the destination, then the number itself. On a smartphone you can also dial "+" followed by the country code and number.
- To the United States: 010-1-212-123-4567, or +1-212-123-4567
- To the United Kingdom: 010-44-20-1234-5678, or +44-20-1234-5678
- To China: 010-86-10-1234-5678, or +86-10-1234-5678
Common Mistakes and Points to Watch
These are the mistakes people make most often with country codes, and how to handle them.
Keeping the Leading 0
The most common error is adding +81 while leaving the 0 in place. +81-03-1234-5678 is wrong; the correct form is +81-3-1234-5678. Make this mistake and the call either fails to connect or reaches a number you did not intend.
Calling Free Dial from Overseas
Free Dial numbers (0120 and 0800) and some special-service numbers may not accept calls placed from outside Japan. When you contact a Japanese company from abroad, look up its ordinary number (one beginning with 03 or 06, for example) beforehand. Some companies also publish a number in international format under a heading for inquiries from overseas. For how the cost differs between these types of numbers, see Free Dial vs. Navi Dial.
International Call Charges
International calls tend to cost more than domestic ones, and the rate structure varies considerably by carrier and by the way the call is placed. Rates get revised, so check your carrier's official rate table for the destination country before you dial.
- International calls from a mobile phone: often fall outside domestic unlimited-calling plans, so the charge is billed separately
- International calls from an IP phone (050): some providers set lower rates than mobile carriers do
International Format for Business Use
If you deal with contacts abroad, list the international format alongside the domestic one on business cards and on your website.
- Business card: TEL: 03-1234-5678 / +81-3-1234-5678
- Website: Domestic: 03-1234-5678 / International: +81-3-1234-5678
- E.164 format: +81312345678 (no hyphens, no spaces). This is the standard form used for system integration and for storing numbers in a database. An E.164 international public telecommunication number is limited to 15 digits including the country code, so Japanese numbers fit well within that limit
Your Phone Number When Traveling Abroad
Taking a Japanese mobile phone overseas calls for some care.
- Roaming: when you use a Japanese mobile phone abroad, calls you receive can also be charged to you (incoming-call charges). Data roaming is expensive as well, so sign up for an overseas data package in advance or use a local SIM
- Using a local SIM: buying a local SIM card gives you a local phone number. Calls to your Japanese number can still reach you if you set up forwarding
- Saving contacts: save overseas contacts in a form that begins with "+" and the country code, and they will dial correctly from any country
Country Codes You Will Use Most
These are the country codes that come up most often in communication with other countries.
- +1: United States, Canada (North American Numbering Plan)
- +44: United Kingdom
- +86: China
- +82: South Korea
- +61: Australia
- +33: France
- +49: Germany
- +91: India
- +65: Singapore
- +66: Thailand
- +84: Vietnam
- +63: Philippines
Country codes are assigned under ITU-T recommendation E.164, and their length runs from one to three digits depending on the country.
Keeping International Call Costs Down
What you pay for an international call depends heavily on how you place it. Compare the options below, and check the official rate table for the terms before settling on one.
- Calling apps: with LINE, WhatsApp, FaceTime and similar apps you can talk over Wi-Fi without incurring call charges. The other party needs to use the same app
- IP phone services: depending on the provider, a 050 IP phone service may set lower international rates than a mobile carrier
- International calling cards: prepaid cards sold at convenience stores are another route. Rates and expiry dates are set per destination country, so check the countries covered before buying
- Carrier international calling options: each carrier offers discount options for international calls. Check the conditions and monthly fee in the carrier's official rate table
Once you have the +81 conversion rule and the dialing steps down, you can avoid mistyped numbers and unexpected charges when dealing with people abroad.