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- TONE Mobile
TONE Mobile: what it costs, and who it accepts
TONE 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 TONE Mobile's own official pages.
TONE 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 ¥1,961 at 3GB a month (12-month cost including setup fees) (checked November 7, 2026). Whether your application is approved is the carrier's decision.
Heads up: TONE 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.
TONE Mobile, 3GB a month, 12-month cost horizon
TONE MobileUnlimited except video (2 GB of video a month is included)
12-month total ¥23,533Setup fee ¥3,733 (included above)eSIM only by switching from the SIM card
- 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 TONE 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 — a credit card is needed at sign-up; bank transfer can only be set up after the contract starts.
- You need English support — application and support are in Japanese only, as far as we could confirm.
- You want to sign up on an eSIM from day one. A new contract cannot be taken on an eSIM. You sign up with a physical SIM, then can apply to switch to an eSIM about 2 days after receiving the SIM (after activation if you are transferring your number). The eSIM profile issuing fee is ¥352.
TONE 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited except video (2 GB of video a month is included) | ¥1,210 | Only by switching from the SIM card | ¥3,733 |
Sign-up conditions
From TONE Mobile's own official pages, checked on November 7, 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 | 24 months (below that, the application may be declined). This is from the official FAQ on what to bring when you sign up at a docomo Shop. We found no official statement on whether it also applies to the online store. |
| Support language(s) | Japanese |
| Credit card | Accepted |
| Debit card | May not be accepted. The official disclosure statement says debit and prepaid cards may be refused, depending on the card company's authorization result. A credit card in the contract holder's name is needed at sign-up in any case. |
| Bank transfer | Only after sign-up (a credit card is needed at sign-up) |
| Convenience-store payment | Not stated |
| Setup cost | ¥3,733 |
| Minimum term | None |
| Cancellation fee | None |
| If you change over from an older plan | The old plans (TONE for Android plan (T), Basic plan (new) and Basic plan) had a 24-month minimum term, but the official FAQ says every customer has now completed it, so no line is charged a cancellation fee. |
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: TONE Mobile official page on ID documents.
Frequently asked questions
Does TONE Mobile accept residence-card holders, and does it run a credit check?
Yes — TONE Mobile states on its official pages that it accepts foreign residents. Residence card as ID: Yes. The official FAQ says an application with less than 24 months of validity remaining may be declined. This is from the official FAQ on what to bring when you sign up at a docomo Shop. We found no official statement on whether it also applies to the online store. 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 TONE Mobile without a Japanese credit card?
Yes, but only after sign-up. At sign-up you need a credit card in your own name; the official FAQ says you can switch to bank transfer once the contract has started. The official disclosure statement adds that debit and prepaid cards may be refused, depending on the card company's authorization result.
Is eSIM available from TONE Mobile?
Not for a new contract. A new contract cannot be taken on an eSIM. You sign up with a physical SIM, then can apply to switch to an eSIM about 2 days after receiving the SIM (after activation if you are transferring your number). The eSIM profile issuing fee is ¥352.
Sources
- TONE Mobile official page 1 (checked November 7, 2026)
- TONE Mobile official page 2 (checked November 7, 2026)
- TONE Mobile official page 3 (checked November 7, 2026)
- TONE Mobile official page 4 (checked November 7, 2026)
- TONE Mobile official page 5 (checked November 7, 2026)
- TONE Mobile official page 6 (checked November 7, 2026)
- TONE Mobile official page 7 (checked November 7, 2026)
- TONE Mobile official page 8 (checked November 7, 2026)
- TONE Mobile official page 9 (checked November 7, 2026)
- TONE Mobile official page 10 (checked November 7, 2026)
- TONE Mobile plan page (checked November 5, 2026)
Back to the resident SIM ranking · Paying without a Japanese credit card · What the residence-card requirement means
Before you apply to TONE Mobile
At 3GB a month the real cost is ¥1,961/month. Check the accepted ID documents and payment methods on TONE Mobile's official site before applying.
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