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- SIM for residents
- LinksMate
LinksMate: what it costs, and who it accepts
LinksMate's plans for people living in Japan, what it takes to sign up, and the real monthly cost including the setup fee. Everything here comes from LinksMate's own official pages.
LinksMate states on its official pages that it accepts foreign residents, and a residence card is accepted as ID; its lowest real monthly cost is ¥1,828 at 3GB a month (12-month cost including setup fees) (checked October 6, 2026). Whether your application is approved is the carrier's decision.
Heads up: LinksMate's official application and support are in Japanese only, as far as we could confirm. You (or someone helping you) will likely need to read Japanese to sign up.
LinksMate, 3GB a month, 12-month cost horizon
LinksMate1–120GB
12-month total ¥21,934Setup fee ¥550 (included above)eSIM available
- Real monthly cost: the plan price, plus the one-off fees spread over 12 months, plus 20 minutes of calls a month (3 minutes per call); no discount that needs a condition.
- Whether your application is approved is the carrier's decision, not ours.
Who LinksMate suits
- You hold a residence card — this carrier states officially that it accepts residents.
- You want to use the residence card itself as ID.
- You have no Japanese credit card — paying without one is conditional; the payment question below says what applies.
- You need English support — application and support are in Japanese only, as far as we could confirm.
LinksMate plans
Monthly price before the setup fee, tax included. The real monthly cost above is the plan price, plus the one-off fees spread over 12 months, plus the call charges for 20 minutes of calls a month (3 minutes per call) at the carrier's own per-call rate, with no paid call option and no discount that needs a condition (family, fibre bundles). Calls a plan already includes are free, and discounts with no condition are counted.
| Data | Monthly from | eSIM | Setup fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–120GB | ¥737 | Yes | ¥550 |
This table lists 25 tiers from 1GB to 120GB. The official plan list is wider: from 100 MB up to 1.5 TB.
Sign-up conditions
From LinksMate's own official pages, checked on October 6, 2026. "Not stated" means we could not find it addressed, which is different from a "no".
| Condition | What the official site states |
|---|---|
| Accepts foreign residents | Yes (stated officially) |
| Residence card as ID | Yes |
| Min. remaining validity | Not specified by the provider |
| Support language(s) | Japanese |
| Credit card | Accepted |
| Debit card | Not accepted |
| Bank transfer | Not accepted |
| Convenience-store payment | Not accepted |
| Setup cost | ¥550 |
| Minimum term | None |
| Cancellation fee | None |
The exact list of accepted ID documents is long and partly Japanese-only legal text, so we link to the source rather than translating it: LinksMate official page on ID documents.
Frequently asked questions
Does LinksMate accept residence-card holders, and does it run a credit check?
Yes — LinksMate states on its official pages that it accepts foreign residents. Residence card as ID: Yes. Being accepted as a foreign resident is a separate question from credit screening for the line contract itself: screening terms exist; see the official page.
Can I pay LinksMate without a Japanese credit card?
Yes, with conditions. The official payment page lists two ways to pay the monthly fee: a credit card, or LinksMate Points (LP). LP can be bought at convenience stores or by bank payment (also by credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay), so you can run the line without a credit card. The page does not list direct bank debit or convenience-store payment for the monthly fee itself.
Is eSIM available from LinksMate?
Yes, at least one LinksMate plan supports eSIM (see the plan table for which).
Sources
- LinksMate official page 1 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 2 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 3 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 4 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 5 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 6 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 7 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 8 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 9 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 10 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 11 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 12 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 13 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 14 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 15 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 16 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 17 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate official page 18 (checked October 6, 2026)
- LinksMate plan page (checked November 1, 2026)
Back to the resident SIM ranking · Paying without a Japanese credit card · What the residence-card requirement means · Full plan details (Japanese page)
Before you apply to LinksMate
At 3GB a month the real cost is ¥1,828/month. Check the accepted ID documents and payment methods on LinksMate's official site before applying.
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