Telecommunications

Telephones

Installation

When you want to install a telephone, apply at the NTT branch office nearest you. Your foreign residents' registration card or other documents which have your name and address confirmed will be necessary.
For more information concerning installation, call 116; for technical problems, call 113.

How to Use Telephones and Public Pay Phones

Telephone numbers consist of an area code (03 for Tokyo's 23 cities), an exchange number and a subscriber number. When you are calling a number with the same area code, just dial the exchange and subscriber number.
To use public pay phones, you will need ¥10 or ¥100 coins. When you insert a ¥100 coin, you won't get any change back, even if your call is short. Prepaid telephone cards can also be used for green-colored public pay phones.

Overseas Calls

There are two types of services offered for overseas calls, international direct dialing and operator-assisted calls.
To place an international direct call, dial the access number for one of the telephone companies offering international phone service, the country code, and then the area code, exchange number and subscriber number.
Examples: Calling New York City through KDDI's direct dial
Access number [001] + Country code [1] + Area code [212] + [Exchange and Subscriber number]
Operator-assisted overseas calls are handled only by KDDI. To reach an operator at KDDI, dial 0051. There are three types of assistance available, station-to-station, person-to-person and collect calls.

Overseas Calls from Public Pay Phones

You can place overseas calls from gold-paneled public pay phones.

Post Office

Post Offices and Mail Boxes

The Tokyo Central Post Office, two regular post offices which conduct mail delivery services (Kojimachi and Kanda Post Offices) and specified post offices are located in Chiyoda City. Hours for the Tokyo Central and regular post offices are daily, 24 hours (including counter services). Specified post offices are open only on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours for financial services are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays for the Tokyo Central and regular post offices, and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. weekdays for specified post offices.
The mail box is usually red in Japan. The slot on the left is for postcards and letters, while the slot on the right is for mail to foreign countries as well as for special delivery mail.

Tokyo Central Post Office: 2-7-2, Marunouchi. Tel: 3284-9500
Kojimachi Post Office: 4-5-9, Kudan-Minami. Tel: 3263-1911
Kanda Post Office: 2-12, Kanda-Awajicho. Tel: 3257-6404

Notice of Delivery in Absence

When delivery of registered parcels or letters is attempted and no one is home, the Notice of Attempt to Deliver (in Absence) will be left in your mail box. You can either specify the date and address where you would like the item delivered on the notice and mail it back to the post office or pick it up at the post office listed on the notice. If you go to the post office to pick up the package, you will need to bring the notice, an ID such as your foreign residents’ registration card and inkan (stamp) with you.

Types of Domestic Mail

There is a variety of domestic mail, including postcards (¥50), letters, parcels, return postcards (¥100) where the receiver can tear off one side to mail back, parcels for printed matters, and Mini-Letters (¥60) which are as big as regular postcards but you can write your message on the inside.

Delivery Services

Japanese post offices offer a variety of delivery services including special delivery for faster delivery and registered mail which is insurable and for which the post office keeps records. Fees for special delivery vary depending on weight, and for registered mail according to the amount of insurance.

International Mail

In addition to regular, air and sea mail, the post office provides such services as SAL (surface-air lifted), mail for printed matters and parcels, which is faster than sea mail but slower than air mail, international business mail and international electronic mail. Postage for air mail postcards (¥70 for all areas of the world) and international aerogrammes (¥90 for all areas of the world) is set; postage for other mail varies depending on destination and weight.