As recently as 5 years back, Japan was like a mobile phone blackhole. They used a different system that was virtually never used in any other part of the world, I think it was CDMA. This meant travellers there had to rent a mobile at the airport.

So while someone with a UK ohone could use it in Thailand, France and... Afghanistan, it could not be used in Japan.

Have things changed...? I am guessing my old Nokia phone uses a different system.

Thank you in advance.

Yes, things have changed. Both Japan and S.Korea used to use WCDMA networks which were not compatible with any other phone systems.

About 3 years ago, both countries adopted using 3G UMTS so as long as your mobile phone supports 3G and you are permitted for roaming, your phone will work now.

Maybe you could share your requirements? Are you traveling to Japan? How long will you be there? What are your voice and data requirements? Are you planning on roaming with an existing SIM? Or buying a pre-paid SIM in Japan? What is the make/model of your current handset?

More details, rather than fewer, or none in your case, might yield decent recommendations?

Unless things have changed, you won't be able to buy a prepay SIM card without a Japanese ID card.

You can rent SIMs from the airport, at about 100yen a day, but the calls and text messaging prices are horrible.

Cheapest way is to find a local rental place online. You just pay a fixed rental fee, and standard phone call charges (they charge it up with a prepay voucher so you just pay as you go with that).

And yes, as said above, 3g phones will work (on SoftBank at least - not sure of the other networks)

3G phones do work on Softbank and Docomo, not sure about AU. Almost impossible for non-resident to get a pay as you go phone. I think the main reason is because the police considered them too hard to track as these were the phones of choice for drug dealers and other criminal types.

I am not even sure if those phones are still sold. But Japan has finally decided to join the world and this year they will export some of their android based phones to the US. I think the phones are made by Sharpe.

Have fun!

3G phones do work on Softbank and Docomo, not sure about AU. Almost impossible for non-resident to get a pay as you go phone. I think the main reason is because the police considered them too hard to track as these were the phones of choice for drug dealers and other criminal types.

I am not even sure if those phones are still sold. But Japan has finally decided to join the world and this year they will export some of their android based phones to the US. I think the phones are made by Sharpe.

Have fun!

Japan have been having 3G for almost ten years. So as for 3G, the world has finally joined this new techonology. AU uses a difference frequency band so useless.

Without registration as a resident, there's no way you can buy a pay as you go phone unless you have a contact underworld. 3G phones, Android phones and Iphones are available anywhere in Japan but they are all SIM-locked. Docomo has announced they are going to sell unlocked phones (You have pay about 40 dollars more at their counters.), but it seems you have to wait another one month or so.

Even as a resident it is not easy to have a phone. You are not in Thailand where you walk into a 7/11 and 5 minutes later you are connected.

For a tourist, you need to rent a phone for some hefty daily fines. Most people avoid it and are phone-less during their stay.

This country is so modern and so backward at the same time.