Number Format
Area Code: 1-5 digits
Subscriber Number: 4-8 digits
Trunk Prefix: 0
International Prefix: 010 (formerly 001; carriers also have other prefixes)
Area code information
There are few other area code lists available for Japan. See
Links and Other Resources to find other
numbering sites.
10 November 2003 - mobile number portability study group begins
Regulator MPHPT started a study group on Mobile Number Portability
for Japan, to work towards a mechanism to allow mobile subscribers
to retain their telephone number when switching carriers. A report
from this study group is expected around February 2004.
Source:
MPHPT Communications news item.
June 2002 - J-Phone awarded 0046 carrier access code
Japan's telecom regulator
assigned 0046 to carrier J-Phone. This company planned to become a Type 1
(major) carrier with international call capability on June 2002.
Reference:
MPMHAPT announcement 16 May 2002.
1 May 2001 - dialling parity, 010 becomes international prefix
Japan's Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications announced a "dialling
parity" scheme to be introduced as of 1 May 2001. This means customers
may choose a default carrier to place domestic or international calls,
without always having to dial a carrier access code to indicate the
carrier of choice.
With this change, Japan's standard international prefix changed
from 001 to 010. A carrier selection code may precede this, if
the desired carrier is not the customer's pre-subscribed default carrier.
The domestic trunk prefix (0) remained as is, although customers wishing
to use a pre-subscribed default carrier no longer need to dial
a carrier access code to ensure this selection.
Permissive dialling of international prefixes was allowed until
1 May 2003.
This development was originally from MPT News Vol. 11, No. 4.
Source:
regulator MPHPT.
Other references:
MYLINE information
and
Tokyo Classified page.
1 January 2000 - southeast Osaka suburb code change
As from 1 January 2000, 2am, southeast Osaka area code (international format:
+81 720, domestic format: 0720) became +81 72 8 (or 072 8 domestically).
That is, area code 720 became 72, with the digit 8 prepended to the existing
local number.
For example, 0720-12-3456 in Japan became 072-812-3456. From outside
Japan, +81 720 123456 was changed to +81 72 8123456.
1 January 1999 - Mobile and PHS codes change
Mobile renumbering took effect at the start of 1999 (7 digits follow the
mobile subscriber area code):
+81 10 --> +81 90 1
+81 20 --> +81 90 2
+81 30 --> +81 90 3
+81 40 --> +81 90 4
+81 80 --> +81 90 8
"PHS terminals" in Japan also have numbering changes on
1 January 1999. Like mobile phones, the area codes are followed by
7-digit subscriber numbers:
+81 50 --> +81 70 5
+81 60 --> +81 70 6
Information from MPT bulletin (no longer available).
1 January 1999 - Osaka code changes
As of the start of 1999, 6 was added before Osaka subscriber numbers to
change the local numbers from 7 to 8 digits. For example, +81 6 ### ####
is now +81 6 6### ####.
Information from MPT bulletin (no longer available).
This is an
international dialling guide
from Japan (gallery.kdd.co.jp).
Other information
Regulator is Ministry of Public
Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications.
Japan numbering plan information (details in .gif format image).
Also see
selected details on prefixes and numbering plan
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