Do You Need a Japanese Phone Number to Rent an Apartment? What to Do Before You Have One

Hi, I'm Sunny. This week's question is one I hear from almost everyone who has just landed in Japan: "I don't have a Japanese phone number yet — can I still rent an apartment?"

Here's the catch: renting needs a phone number, a phone number needs an address on your residence card, and registering an address needs somewhere to live. It looks circular, but it untangles easily once you do things in the right order.

Why landlords and guarantors want a Japanese number

• It's a required field: the landlord and management company need a way to reach you
• Guarantor screening: the guarantor company often calls you to confirm your name, job and move-in date
• After you move in: rent, repairs and renewal notices all come by phone or text

The screening call is the one that matters most. If nobody picks up, the process can stall — and in a busy market, someone else may take the place in the meantime.

Why a phone contract needs your address

Carriers in Japan are legally required to verify who you are before issuing a voice SIM, and that usually means ID showing your current address. For most foreign residents, that's a residence card with the address sticker on the back — which you only get after filing your residence notification at the ward office. Data-only SIMs are easy to buy, but most of them don't give you a number you can write on a rental form.

Your options before you have a number

*Costs and conditions vary by service and property — always go by the actual quote and contract.

The order that works: short-term first, then phone, then the long-term lease

• 1. On arrival, move into a share house or monthly apartment that allows address registration
• 2. Within 14 days, file your residence notification at the ward office so your card shows the address
• 3. With that card, sign up for a SIM that includes a voice number
• 4. With a Japanese number in hand, apply for your long-term apartment

It takes a little longer, but no step gets bounced back. If you'd rather go straight into a regular lease on arrival, tell your agent about your phone situation before you apply so they can check what the property and guarantor will accept.

Sunny's takeaway

A phone number sounds like a small detail, but it's often the first real hurdle for foreigners renting in Japan. Get the order right — address, then phone, then your long-term home — and screening and signing go much more smoothly. See you next week!

Further reading

Once your phone is sorted and you're ready for a long-term place, talk to ieree. Find a listing you like on SUUMO or any other site and bring it to us — our agency fee is ¥0 to 0.3 months' rent plus tax, and you can chat with us on LINE in English, including about preparing for the screening call.