Mobal Japan SIM and eSIM (2026): Monthly Plans, Prices and How to Sign Up

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The Mobal Japan SIM and eSIM come with a real 070, 080 or 090 Japanese phone number and are aimed at people living, working or studying in Japan. This guide covers its voice and data plans: what they cost, how billing works, how you get the SIM or eSIM, whether you can keep your number, and how cancelling works. We checked Mobal’s own pages and help articles on October 13, 14 and 17, 2026. Prices are in yen with tax included.

Mobal Japan SIM monthly prices

Mobal’s page lists the 100GB and 200GB plans under “Optional Add-ons”, which you switch on in your account after choosing a plan. Mobal confirmed to us in October 2026 that ¥6,490 and ¥9,900 are the total monthly prices, not extra charges on top of another plan. Mobal marks 30GB as its most popular plan.

On top of the monthly plan, the SIM card or eSIM costs ¥4,950, paid when you order. Through the Mobal links on this page, it’s ¥4,455 instead (10% off), with no discount code needed; the monthly plan fees aren’t discounted. Mobal says it charges no activation fee. Two extras cost more if you switch them on: voicemail (¥495 a month) and voice and SMS roaming outside Japan (¥5,995 each time you turn it on).

See the Mobal SIM card → See the Mobal eSIM →

How billing works

• First month: if you start partway through a month, the first plan fee is prorated to the end of that month.
• After that: the plan renews on the 1st of each month, and payment is taken automatically on the 8th.
• Calls and texts: charged on top of the plan, usually 1 to 2 months later, because usage reports reach Mobal with a delay.
• Last month: if your last day falls partway through a month, you still pay the full plan fee for that month.

Calls and texts

Incoming calls and texts are free. Calls you make to Japanese mobiles and landlines cost ¥44 a minute, and texts to Japanese numbers cost ¥33 each. International texts are ¥140 each. You can’t dial international numbers directly; Mobal offers a 0063 prefix service for international calls. Wi-Fi calling isn’t supported. If you call through LINE or WhatsApp instead, that uses your data allowance.

Data: running out, rollover and plan changes

• When your data runs out: speed drops to a maximum of 200 kbps. Mobal says that is enough for web browsing, email and WhatsApp messaging, but may not be enough for streaming. Your allowance resets on the 1st of each month.
• Unused data rolls over.
• Changing your plan: on the current SIMs and eSIMs, upgrades and downgrades start on the 1st of a month, not partway through. Mobal suggests sending an upgrade request at least 48 hours before the new month.
• Hotspot: Mobal says some of its services support tethering, but it can’t guarantee it will work on every phone.

Getting your SIM or eSIM

Mobal checks your ID for both the SIM and the eSIM: you show your passport at pick-up, or upload your ID before delivery. Mobal says Japanese law requires it to collect ID from voice eSIM users. It doesn’t send the eSIM by email: you get a physical eSIM Access Code by post, or collect it.

Pick-up points for the voice and data SIM cover 11 areas of Japan. In Tokyo they include Haneda Airport Terminal 3, Narita Airport Terminals 1 and 2, Keisei Ueno Station, Shibuya’s Mark City building, Shinjuku Station, Tokyo Station (Marunouchi) and the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. You must be 18 or over to collect.

Activate the SIM by the end of the second month after it is dispatched or collected.

Activating and getting your number

You activate in your Mobal online account: enter the SIM’s serial number, or for an eSIM the Access Code (and, for some products, your phone’s EID). Mobal processes voice SIM and eSIM activations between 10 AM and 6:30 PM Japan time. If you ask for immediate activation in those hours, it should finish within 90 minutes; requests after 6:30 PM start at 10 AM the next morning. Your 070, 080 or 090 number is assigned only once activation is complete, and it appears in the confirmation email and your account.

Can you keep your current Japanese number?

Only with the Voice eSIM. Mobal’s help page says the latest 5G physical Voice SIM, released on July 21, 2026, and its “Voice Lite” SIM and eSIM can’t take a number from another provider: you get a new number instead. With the latest 5G Voice eSIM, you choose “Yes, I want to keep my existing phone number” during activation and enter your current number, the MNP reservation code and its expiry date, your name and your date of birth.

Moving your Mobal number to another provider later is possible with the Voice eSIM and later versions of the physical SIM. You request it in your account, Mobal emails you the MNP details, and Mobal ends the plan once the number has moved.

Will your phone work?

For the eSIM, your phone must be unlocked and support eSIM, 5G, 4G/LTE Band 1 (2100MHz) and VoLTE for calls. Devices or adapters that use a physical SIM to imitate an eSIM aren’t supported.

Paying

Mobal takes credit and debit cards and PayPal, in Japanese yen. It doesn’t accept cash.

Using your Mobal number outside Japan

On the latest 5G SIMs and eSIMs, you can switch on voice and SMS roaming for ¥5,995 each time you turn it on. It lets you make and receive calls and texts abroad, but not use mobile data. It takes about 24 hours to start, and calls and outgoing texts are charged at Mobal’s roaming rates.

Cancelling and refunds

• No minimum contract and no termination fee. You cancel in your online account and choose a cancellation date, which is your last full day of service.
• The last month isn’t prorated, and calls or texts can still be billed 1 to 2 months after you cancel.
• Cancelling ends your number. If you want to keep it, move it to another provider first (see above).
• Money-back guarantee: email Mobal’s returns team within 8 days of activating, or within 3 months of buying if you haven’t activated. It refunds the SIM or eSIM fee only, not plan or usage fees, and doesn’t cover phones that turn out to be incompatible. Shipping charges aren’t refunded either, and you return the item undamaged in its original packaging.

See the Mobal eSIM → See the Mobal SIM card →

Is Mobal a good fit?

• Good fit: you need a Japanese number but very little data. The voice-only plan is ¥1,430 and the 1GB plan is ¥1,650.
• Good fit: you use a lot of data. 100GB is ¥6,490 and 200GB is ¥9,900 a month.
• Good fit: you want to order before you arrive. Delivery is free worldwide once your ID upload is accepted.
• Look elsewhere: you are under 18 and want the plan in your own name (with Mobal, a parent or guardian aged 18 or over has to order in theirs), want to pay in cash, or want the eSIM by email. Our Sakura Mobile guide covers a provider that signs up under-18s with a parental consent form, takes cash at convenience stores (with a deposit), and emails the eSIM QR code if you verify online with a residence card or My Number Card showing your current address.
• Check first: you want to keep your current Japanese number. Mobal’s help page says only the latest Voice eSIM can take it, not the latest physical SIM or the “Voice Lite” SIM and eSIM.

Frequently asked questions

Does Mobal use Docomo?

Yes. Mobal’s SIM and eSIM services use the Docomo network, and Mobal told us its service supports both 5G and 4G.

Can I get the Mobal eSIM by email?

No. Mobal posts you a physical eSIM Access Code, or you collect it at a pick-up point in Japan. You then enter the code in your Mobal account to activate.

Do I need to be in Japan to order?

No. You can order from abroad and choose free worldwide delivery (after uploading your ID) or a pick-up date in Japan.

Is there a contract or cancellation fee?

No minimum contract and no termination fee. The plan renews monthly until you cancel, and the last month is charged in full.

How does Mobal compare with Sakura Mobile?

Both use Docomo and charge ¥4,378 for 30GB. Mobal has smaller plans and is cheaper at 100GB; Sakura Mobile accepts under-18s and cash. Our Mobal vs Sakura Mobile comparison goes through the differences.

Final thoughts

Mobal gives you a Japanese number on Docomo, with data plans from ¥1,650 a month (or ¥1,430 for voice and SMS only), plus ¥4,950 once for the SIM or eSIM (¥4,455 through our links), and no minimum contract. Before you order, decide whether you need to keep an existing Japanese number (only the Voice eSIM can take it) and whether you will collect in Japan or have it delivered, since the eSIM isn’t sent by email.

Only visiting for a few weeks? Our comparison of travel eSIMs for Japan covers short-stay options.