🇯🇵How to call Japan from the US
Exit
011
Japan
81
The number
Drop the 0
Drop the leading 0 and dial the rest after +81. Tokyo's 03 becomes +81 3 and a mobile written 090 becomes +81 90. What is left is nine or ten digits, and both lengths are normal. A number beginning 0120 or 0800 is a Japanese toll-free line and will not connect from abroad; ask for the ordinary number.
01Call it
Or skip the exit code entirely
In the browser, enter the full international number starting with +. Check the quote before calling.
Calls to Japan from $0.25 a minute for landline. Basic rate.
Rates from a US caller ID. Your selected caller ID is priced before calling.
Sign up when you press Call.
02When
When to call
Japan does not change its clocks, so it is 14 hours ahead of US Eastern time in winter and 13 in summer. A Tokyo office day of 9 to 5 runs from 7pm to 3am in New York in winter, so the workable call from the US is in the evening, and a family call is either very early or very late.
A bank, a ward office, a hospital, an employer, or family, and most of it on a landline: Japan kept its fixed lines longer than almost anywhere. The time difference is the whole difficulty.
03Cost
Basic rates from a US caller ID
The keypad checks the full Japan number to find its landline, mobile or service-number rate.
Per minute in USD from a US caller ID, part of a minute counting as a full one. Rates last changed 28 October 2026. Everything we publish for Japan, or check one number.
04From elsewhere
Calling Japan from somewhere else
Only the exit code changes. The country code and the number are the same wherever you are standing.
| Calling from | Dial before 81 |
|---|---|
| United States and Canada | 011 |
| United Kingdom and Ireland | 00 |
| Australia | 0011 |
| Japan | 010 |
| Most of Europe, Africa and Asia | 00 |
05Questions
Common questions
How do I call Japan from the US?
Dial 011, then 81, then the Japan number. Drop the leading 0 and dial the rest after +81. Tokyo's 03 becomes +81 3 and a mobile written 090 becomes +81 90. What is left is nine or ten digits, and both lengths are normal. A number beginning 0120 or 0800 is a Japanese toll-free line and will not connect from abroad; ask for the ordinary number. From a browser on Airlophone there is no exit code at all: you type the number starting +81 and the price for that exact number appears before it dials.
What is the country code for Japan?
+81. From the US you dial 011 first to leave the country, so the full string begins 011 81. From the UK and most of Europe the exit code is 00 instead, and from Australia it is 0011.
How much does it cost to call Japan?
Basic calls to Japan start at $0.25/min for landline. From a US caller ID: landline $0.25/min, mobile $0.69/min. Professional adds $0.02/min to paid calls, whether recording is on or off. Connected calls are billed per minute, with part of a minute counting as a full minute. Enter the number to see its exact price before calling.
Can I use my own number as caller ID?
Yes, if the number is eligible. Verify that you control it once, then select it as your Verified Caller ID when you call. Some networks cannot present a number you own on every route, and the dialer confirms that before the call starts.
What is the best time to call Japan from the US?
Japan does not change its clocks, so it is 14 hours ahead of US Eastern time in winter and 13 in summer. A Tokyo office day of 9 to 5 runs from 7pm to 3am in New York in winter, so the workable call from the US is in the evening, and a family call is either very early or very late.
Do I need an app or a SIM card?
No app or SIM is required. Use a browser with internet and a microphone. The recipient answers their ordinary landline or mobile and needs no internet connection.