- Japan SIM Navi
- SIM for residents
- NURO Mobile
NURO Mobile: what it costs, and who it accepts
NURO Mobile'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 NURO Mobile's own official pages.
NURO Mobile states on its official pages that it accepts foreign residents, and a residence card is accepted as ID; its lowest real monthly cost is ¥1,544 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: NURO Mobile'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.
NURO Mobile, 3GB a month, 12-month cost horizon
NURO Mobile3–15GB
12-month total ¥18,524Setup fee ¥3,740 (included above)eSIM available only on the Docomo network
- 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 NURO Mobile 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 — this carrier states a credit card is required (the payment question below lists the narrow exception).
- You need English support — application and support are in Japanese only, as far as we could confirm.
NURO Mobile 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3–15GB | ¥792 | Yes (Docomo network only) | ¥3,740 |
| 35GB | ¥2,699 | Yes (Docomo network only) | ¥3,740 |
| 55GB | ¥3,980 | Yes (Docomo network only) | ¥3,740 |
Sign-up conditions
From NURO Mobile'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 | ¥3,740 |
| 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: NURO Mobile official page on ID documents.
Frequently asked questions
Does NURO Mobile accept residence-card holders, and does it run a credit check?
Yes — NURO Mobile 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 NURO Mobile without a Japanese credit card?
No. The monthly fee can be paid only by a credit card in your own name. The official FAQ says bank debit, convenience-store payment, debit cards and prepaid cards cannot be used for it. A debit card can be used only to pay for a phone at delivery.
Is eSIM available from NURO Mobile?
Yes, at least one NURO Mobile plan supports eSIM, but only on the Docomo network (see the plan table).
Sources
- NURO Mobile official page 1 (checked October 6, 2026)
- NURO Mobile official page 2 (checked October 6, 2026)
- NURO Mobile official page 3 (checked October 6, 2026)
- NURO Mobile official page 4 (checked October 6, 2026)
- NURO Mobile official page 5 (checked October 6, 2026)
- NURO Mobile official page 6 (checked October 6, 2026)
- NURO Mobile official page 7 (checked October 6, 2026)
- NURO Mobile official page 8 (checked October 6, 2026)
- NURO Mobile plan page (checked November 1, 2026)
- NURO Mobile plan page (checked November 1, 2026)
- NURO Mobile 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 NURO Mobile
At 3GB a month the real cost is ¥1,544/month. Check the accepted ID documents and payment methods on NURO Mobile's official site before applying.
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