Pay for a Phone Plan in Japan Without a Japanese Bank Account

Rakuten Mobile Employee Referral Guide日本語

By Mirai, Rakuten Mobile employee · Not the official Rakuten Mobile website

You just arrived in Japan. You need a phone number fast.

But your bank account is not ready yet. Many international students have this problem.

This guide explains how payment works at Rakuten Mobile. It uses simple words and short steps.

The short answer

You need a credit card, a debit card, or a Japanese bank account. One of these three.

There is no way to pay the monthly fee with cash every month. Phone plans in Japan are postpaid. This means you use the service first, and pay next month.

So the company needs a payment method it can charge later.

Payment methods Rakuten Mobile accepts

Rakuten Mobile lists these payment methods (checked on the official site in October 2026):

• Credit card
• Rakuten Bank debit card, and some other debit cards
• Bank account transfer (“kōza furikae” in Japanese — the fee is taken from your bank account each month)
• Cash on delivery — for a device only, not for monthly fees
• Rakuten Points / Rakuten Pay balance

Accepted credit card brands are VISA, Mastercard, JCB, American Express and Diners Club.

Please note one point about debit cards. Even if your card registers successfully, the billing may still fail later. It depends on the card company.

Important: about cards from your home country

Some students ask if they can use a card from their home country.

Rakuten Mobile does not clearly say on its official pages that overseas cards are accepted when you apply. So this guide cannot promise that.

The safe way to think about it is simple. Prepare a credit card, a debit card, or a Japanese bank account.

If you are not sure about your own card, ask at a Rakuten Mobile shop or check the Rakuten Mobile website. Staff can check the details for your case.

If you have no card yet: bank account transfer

Many new residents open a Japanese bank account first. A Japan Post Bank or Rakuten Bank account is a common first step for students.

After that, bank account transfer becomes possible. Here are the rules you should know (checked on the official site in October 2026):

• Bank transfer covers monthly fees only. You cannot pay for a device this way.
• There is a fee of 110 yen each month (tax included, as of October 2026).
• You cannot use Rakuten Points with bank transfer.
• Banks include Rakuten Bank, MUFG, Mizuho, SMBC and Japan Post Bank (Web method), and others.
• Corporate accounts are not accepted.

So if you want to pay with Rakuten Points later, a card is the better choice.

The name on the account or card

This rule surprises many people. Please read it carefully.

• At application, a bank account in a different name from the contract holder cannot be used.
• A card in another person’s name is possible for people aged 18 and over. But the cardholder must come with you and do the setup.

The official English page says it clearly. When you use a payment method that is not in your name, the named account holder or cardholder must be with you.

So you cannot simply borrow a friend’s card and register it alone.

When is the money taken?

Billing is postpaid. You pay for one month in the next month.

Keep enough money in your account before these dates. This is very important.

What happens if payment fails

Please do not ignore an unpaid bill. The steps are:

1. You get an unpaid notice.
2. Your line is suspended. You cannot use the phone.
3. The contract is cancelled.

Rakuten Mobile also says this may affect new contracts with other carriers. In Japan, payment history matters. Keep your account in good condition from the start.

Monthly cost, so you can plan

The Rakuten SAIKYO Plan price for one person is simple. It changes with your data use (tax included, standard price, checked on the official site in October 2026):

• Up to 3GB: 1,078 yen
• Up to 20GB: 2,178 yen
• Over 20GB (unlimited): 3,278 yen

Some other official fees (tax included, as of October 2026):

• Calls without the Rakuten Link app (the free calling app): 22 yen per 30 seconds
• Domestic SMS: 3.3 yen per message (70 characters)
• Bank account transfer fee: 110 yen per month
• Contract fee: 0 yen up to the 4th line
• eSIM reissue: 0 yen / SIM card reissue: 3,300 yen
• Cancellation within 1 year of the plan usage start date (the day your line starts working): up to 1,078 yen. After 1 year: 0 yen

Prices may change. Check the Rakuten Mobile website for the latest information. The site has English pages, and you can apply online in English.

Before you apply: the employee referral entry

There is one free step you should do before you apply.

Rakuten Mobile has an employee referral campaign. An employee shares a referral link. You do a referral login (you log in with your Rakuten ID from that link).

Key points:

• The entry is free. It does not sign you up for any plan.
• You can apply for the plan later, on another day.
• Use the same Rakuten ID for the entry and the application. A different ID is not counted.
• Enter before you apply. This is the basic rule. An entry within 7 days including the application day may still be accepted, but you may be asked to confirm.

The points are Rakuten Points, and they are time-limited points. The campaign covers the Rakuten SAIKYO Plan and Rakuten SAIKYO U-NEXT.

You can get 14,000 points per line with an MNP transfer. MNP transfer means keeping your phone number when you switch carriers. In other cases, such as a new number, you get 13,000 points.

To get the points, you must finish three things. The deadline is 23:59 on the last day of the second month after your entry day.

1. The application
2. Starting to use the line
3. A call of 10 seconds or more from the Rakuten Link app

Applying alone is not enough. For example, if you enter in September, the deadline is November 30.

A tip about the call: you can call a family member or your own other number. Calls to numbers starting with 0570, # numbers, calls with a prefix number, and special numbers such as 188 are not counted.

Points arrive in three parts. They start 4 months after the month of your entry, over 3 months. The application month is not the start point. Each set of points is valid for 6 months, including the day you get them.

The campaign may change or end without notice. Check the latest conditions after you do the referral login.

Summary

• To start a plan, you need a credit card, a debit card, or a Japanese bank account. Cash is not possible for monthly fees.
• Bank account transfer covers monthly fees only, costs 110 yen per month (as of October 2026), and cannot use Rakuten Points.
• If the payment method is not in your name, the named holder must be with you at the application.
• Do the free referral login with your Rakuten ID before you apply. Then finish the application, the line start, and a 10-second Rakuten Link call by the deadline.

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