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The Best VPNs for Japan

Updated May 29, 2025

Simon Migliano

Simon Migliano is a recognized world expert in VPNs. He's tested hundreds of VPN services and his research has featured on the BBC, The New York Times and more. Read full bio

Fact-checked by JP Jones

The Short Answer

The best VPN to change your IP location to Japan is ExpressVPN. Its extremely easy-to-use apps and fast Japanese servers provided us with unrestricted access to geo-restricted content on the widest range of devices. NordVPN came a close second in our tests by delivering the fastest internet speeds from overseas, while TunnelBear is one of the very few secure VPNs to offer free Japanese IP addresses.

Japan VPN

Finding a genuinely secure and reliable VPN for Japan is more challenging than it needs to be.

As we researched VPNs for this guide, we came across dozens of free apps called either ‘VPN Japan’ or ‘Japan VPN’ that missed our selection criteria by a huge margin.

Never in a million years would we ever recommend you use one of these slow, shady and ineffective VPNs.

Instead, the VPNs that excelled in our tests will assign you functioning Japanese IP addresses via secure servers that can also unblock geo-restricted services such as Netflix Japan, AbemaTV, TVer, and Prime Video Japan from overseas.

Summary: The Best VPNs for Japan

Of the 61 we tested for Japan, only these three VPNs exceeded our high expectations:

ExpressVPN: Best VPN for Japan Overall
NordVPN: Fastest VPN for Japan
TunnelBear: 100% Free VPN for Japan

Why Trust Us?

We’re fully independent and have been reviewing VPNs since 2016. Our ratings are based on our own testing results and are unaffected by financial incentives. Learn who we are and how we test VPNs.

Not only will these VPNs help you unlock Japanese Internet as if you were in the country, they’ll also secure your free public WiFi connections while you’re visiting the country.

VPN Comparison Table

You can use the table below to compare our chosen VPNs based on server locations in Japan, access to Japanese content platforms, speed, and price.

The Best Japan VPNs Reviewed

We tested 61 VPNs to find the services that offer servers in Japan, deliver fast speeds, and reliably assign a Japanese IP address.

We also assessed their ability to unblock geo-restricted Japanese streaming services, specifically the Netflix Japan catalog.

Following our tests, here are the three best VPNs for getting a Japanese IP address and accessing Japanese streaming services from abroad.

1. ExpressVPN: Best VPN for Japan

Ranked #1 out of 61 VPNs for Japan

ExpressVPN

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Overall Japan Rating: 9.6/10

Japan Server Locations
9.7/10
Netflix Japan
9.6/10
Japanese Streaming Sites
9.5/10
Speed
9.7/10
Streaming Device Compatibility
9.3/10

To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology.

Fast speeds connecting into Japan
Tokyo, Shibuya, Osaka & Yokohama servers
Unblocks most Japanese streaming services
Fire TV Stick, Apple TV & router apps
Secure AES-256 & ChaCha20 encryption
7-day free trial & 30-day money-back guarantee

Not all Japan servers unblock Netflix Japan
Above-average subscription cost
Unable to access DAZN Japan from overseas
Fewer advanced settings than NordVPN

Pricing Plans	$12.95/mo $6.25/mo over 16 months $4.99/mo over 28 months
Servers	3,000
Countries with Servers	106
Simultaneous Connections	8

Support	24/7 Live Chat
Compatible with	Windows Mac iOS Android Linux Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Router Chrome

ExpressVPN is hands-down the best VPN for Japan we’ve tested, especially for watching geo-restricted Japanese content from overseas.

It’s the only VPN in our list that has 4 server locations in four Japanese cities: Tokyo, Osaka, Shibuya, and Yokohama.

Not only is it our top-rated VPN for beating streaming geo-blocks around the world, but its apps are incredibly easy to use on a wide array of devices.

The service’s all-roundness is quite simply unmatched, and if want to access the best server coverage in Japan through the most user-friendly VPN apps on the market, then ExpressVPN is the VPN or you.

ExpressVPN's Japanese server locations

ExpressVPN’s Japanese server locations.

Our #1 Choice for Japanese Streaming

Throughout our tests, ExpressVPN’s servers in Japan reliably unblocked the vast majority of Japanese streaming services we tested. See our streaming results below:

Streaming Service	Unblocked?
AbemaTV	Yes
DAZN Japan	No
dTV	Yes
Hulu Japan	Yes
Netflix Japan	Yes
Prime Video Japan	Yes
TVer	Yes
TV Tokyo	Yes
U-Next	Yes
WOWOW TV	Yes

ExpressVPN and NordVPN performed very similarly in our streaming tests. For Japanese Netflix in particular, NordVPN was actually more reliable since not every ExpressVPN server worked all the time.

ExpressVPN with Netflix Japan on macOS

ExpressVPN unblocks Netflix Japan and other streaming services.

But ExpressVPN is simply unbeatable when it comes to its usability and device compatibility. Not even NordVPN can compete.

In addition to very well-designed and beginner-friendly apps on computers and smartphones, ExpressVPN is especially great on streaming devices, like Fire TV Stick and Apple TV.

All these native apps use the same user interface which makes switching from one device to another child’s play.

Plus, you also have the option to use ExpressVPN’s dedicated VPN app for routers to cover all your household’s devices. No other VPN currently offers this.

More Expensive Than NordVPN

The main downside to using ExpressVPN is its subscription cost: the cheapest price you can currently get is $4.99/mo over 28 months, which is higher than most other VPNs.

At least you can use ExpressVPN’s free trial to test the VPN for free.

The service’s 7-day free trial is available to new iOS and Android users, and you can then use your newly-created account details on your other devices.

There’s also a no-hassle 30-day money-back guarantee on all subscription plans that you can take advantage of.

2. NordVPN: Fastest VPN for Japan

NordVPN's app for iOS

NordVPN

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Overall Japan Rating: 9.5/10

Japan Server Locations
9.4/10
Netflix Japan
9.9/10
Japanese Streaming Sites
9.5/10
Speed
9.7/10
Streaming Device Compatibility
8.9/10

To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology.

Fastest speeds connecting into Japan
Over 179 servers in Japan
The most reliable at unblocking Japanese Netflix
Access to AbemaTV, TV Tokyo, TVer
Fire TV Stick, Apple TV & Android TV apps
Very affordable on longer-term plans

Fewer Japanese cities than ExpressVPN
No dedicated router app
Doesn’t unblock DAZN Japan
Renews at a much higher price

Pricing Plans	$12.99/mo $4.59/mo over 15 months $2.99/mo over 27 months
Servers	7,837
Countries with Servers	118
Simultaneous Connections	10

Support	24/7 Live Chat
Compatible with	Windows Mac iOS Android Linux Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Router Chrome

NordVPN came very close to pipping ExpressVPN to the post, with its Japanese servers registering an average speed loss of just 11% compared to ExpressVPN’s 17%.

Thanks to NordVPN’s impressive speeds, we easily loaded and streamed geo-restricted Japanese content, such as Netflix’s Japanese library. All servers worked flawlessly, including the default Japan server which worked every single time.

NordVPN's Japanese server locations

NordVPN’s Japanese server locations.

Great Streaming Alternative to ExpressVPN

Just like ExpressVPN, NordVPN can access most geo-restricted Japanese streaming services. Here are the full results of our streaming tests:

Streaming Service	Unblocked?
AbemaTV	Yes
DAZN Japan	No
dTV	Yes
Hulu Japan	Yes
Netflix Japan	Yes
Prime Video Japan	Yes
TVer	Yes
TV Tokyo	Yes
U-Next	Yes
WOWOW TV	Yes

Just like ExpressVPN, the only geo-locked library NordVPN couldn’t access was DAZN Japan (our DAZN VPN of choice for VPN is Windscribe).

NordVPN’s native apps are well-designed and intuitive to use on a wide range of devices, including Fire TV Stick and Apple TV.

NordVPN Unblocking Netflix Japan

NordVPN unblocks the Netflix Japan library and also stream popular Japanese TV.

That said, NordVPN isn’t as compatible as ExpressVPN since it doesn’t have a native router app, therefore making it much harder to use on gaming systems and Roku devices.

Very Affordable On Multi-year Plans

Although it’s not quite as versatile, NordVPN is a very close contender to ExpressVPN and is more affordable, costing only $2.99/mo over 27 months.

Before purchasing it, you can give the NordVPN’s 7-day free trial a go through the Play Store, or take advantage of the service’s 30-day refund guarantee.

The Best 100% Free VPN for Japan

1. TunnelBear: 100% Free VPN for Japan

Ranked #1 Free VPN for Japan

TunnelBear's free app for iOS

TunnelBear Free

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Visit TunnelBear

Overall Japan Rating: 2.1/10

Japan Server Locations
5.0/10
Netflix Japan
1.0/10
Japanese Streaming Sites
1.0/10
Speed
8.8/10
Streaming Device Compatibility
0.1/10

To learn more, read our VPN testing methodology.

Completely free servers in Japan
100% safe to use with AES-256 encryption
Fast connection speeds into Japan
User-friendly apps on desktop & mobile
Acceptable privacy & logging policy

2GB monthly data limit
Doesn't work with Japanese Netflix
Doesn't unblock most Japanese streaming sites
No apps for streaming devices
Not compatible with routers

Data Cap	2GB per month
Servers	5,000
Countries with Servers	47
Simultaneous Connections	5

Support	Email & Online Resources Only
Compatible with	Windows Mac iOS Android Linux Amazon Fire TV Android TV Apple TV Router Chrome

TunnelBear is the only secure VPN that lets you manually select free servers in Japan, and therefore is the best choice to get a free Japanese IP address from overseas.

TunnelBear Free Japan Server

TunnelBear offers free Tokyo-based IP addresses.

Our previous top choice was Proton VPN, but sadly you can no longer manually select its free Japanese server location.

Despite being a safe product, with good speeds, TunnelBear has several limitations that won’t satisfy everyone’s needs.

Firstly, it has a monthly bandwidth cap of 2GB, which is a lot less generous than other free VPNs, like Windscribe or Proton VPN.

Secondly, we were disappointed that it can’t unblock geo-restricted Japanese streaming services. Basically, you can only use TunnelBear to access Japanese websites with much weaker IP-based restrictions in place.

Finally, there are no apps for streaming devices like Fire TV or Apple TV, let alone for routers. This severely handicaps your ability to use TunnelBear on devices other than smartphones and computers.

Given the severe limitations of TunnelBear’s free VPN, we suggest using a subscription-based VPN with a money-back guarantee or a free trial offer to get a free Japanese IP address for a limited period of time.

Visit TunnelBear

Which VPNs Have Servers in Japan?

There are surprisingly many VPN providers that operated servers in Japan. Mostly are subscription-based VPN services, and in all honesty, many disappointed in our battery of tests.

Out of the 61 VPNs we examined, these are all the VPNs that offer access to Japanese IP addresses:

How to Watch Japanese TV & Netflix with a VPN

As we’ve already explained, using one of our recommended VPNs will allow you to access geo-blocked Japanese content from outside the country.

The process involved is incredibly simple. Below we’ll show you how to access the Japanese Netflix library, but the instructions to unblock other Japanese content platforms is almost identical.

To change Netflix region to Japan and access content titles only available in that library, you’ll have to use a VPN that still works with Netflix. Both ExpressVPN and NordVPN fit the bill.

In the video below we demonstrate how to access Netflix Japan from overseas using ExpressVPN.

Unblocking Japanese Netflix from the UK using ExpressVPN.

Below are simple step-by-step instructions on how to unblock Japanese Netflix with a VPN:

Instructions: How to Stream Netflix Japan with a VPN

Subscribe to a VPN with fast international speeds and consistent access to Netflix Japan, like ExpressVPN or NordVPN.
Download and install the VPN on your chosen device. Keep in mind that not all VPNs are compatible with Smart TVs, routers, or Amazon Fire TV Stick.
Launch the VPN and log in with your usual account credentials.
Connect to a VPN server in Japan.
Head to netflix.com/jp/ and sign in.
You should see that the content library has changed, with content from Japan prominently displayed.

If you encounter unexpected issues, there are a number of solutions to fix your VPN not working with Netflix.

As we’ve said already, the process to access content platforms that block non-Japanese IP addresses is essentially the same.

All you need to do is connect to a Japanese server location and then launch the streaming service you want to unblock.

ExpressVPN working with Abema TV

ExpressVPN working with Abema TV.

Popular VPNs That Didn't Make Our Selection

We tested 61 VPNs and discovered that many were slow, didn’t have Japanese servers, or couldn’t bypass Japanese geo-blocks.

Even some very big industry names failed to deliver optimal results in our tests. We’ve listed below popular VPNs that we don’t recommend for Japan, and why.

VPN Service	Why We Don’t Recommend It for Japan
Private Internet Access	PIA VPN is a good VPN for Japan, but it struggles to unblock a number of Japanese video platforms.
Surfshark	While Surfshark maintains servers in Japan, none of them worked with the Japanese streaming services we tested.
IPVanish	Unlike Surfshark and PIA, IPVanish did unblock some Japanese streaming services, however it couldn’t bypass Prime Video Japan geo-blocks.
CyberGhost	CyberGhost has servers in Tokyo that worked with Netflix Japan, but its speeds from abroad were much slower than ExpressVPN and NordVPN.
Proton VPN (Free)	Sadly, you can’t manually connect to Proton VPN’s free servers in Japan. Unless you’re located in a nearby country, the app will automatically connect to the closest free server location.
Urban VPN	Urban VPN is not a VPN you can trust. It logs your IP address, it leaks DNS requests, and it struggles to unblock most geo-restricted content platforms, including Japanese ones.

The table below summarizes some of the test results from a selection of the 61 VPNs we tested for Japan:

How We Test VPNs for Japan

In order to find the best VPNs for Japan, we tested the speed and reliability of 61 VPNs with servers in Japan.

During our tests we assessed each VPN’s ability to unblock geo-restricted Japanese streaming services, including the Netflix Japan catalog. We also tested connection speeds into Japan. Fast speeds ensure high picture quality with no buffering.

Similarly, we consider device compatibility a key factor, especially having a native Fire TV Stick application that successfully unblocks Japanese streaming apps.

See how the best Japan VPNs performed in our key testing categories using the table below:

VPNs with a data cap receive a reduction to their overall rating.

1. Japan Server Locations: 30%

What We Did: Counted the number of Japan servers in each VPN’s network, including how many city locations it offers, followed by the use of IP address checker to confirm a successful Japan connection.
Why It’s Important: A Japanese IP address will enable you to unblock geo-restricted content. Furthermore, the more Japan servers a VPN offers, the better its performance is.
Optimal Result: 100s of Japan servers spread across multiple Japanese cities.

2. Access to Netflix Japan: 20%

What We Did: Tested each VPN a number of times with the Japanese Netflix library.
Why It’s Important: Netflix Japan is a desirable library that many looking for a Japan VPN want to access.
Optimal Result: Unblocks Netflix Japan each time with no buffering or bugs.

3. Access to Other Japanese Streaming Services: 20%

What We Did: Tested each VPN with a number of popular Japanese streaming sites, including AbemaTV, TVer, DAZN Japan, dTV, TV Tokyo, U-Next, Hulu Japan, Prime Video Japan, and WOWOW TV.
Why It’s Important: These tests show which VPNs unblock the most Japanese streaming services and offer the best performance.
Optimal Result: Unblocks every streaming service we test.

4. Speed: 15%

What We Did: Performed in-house speed tests to assess each VPN’s download speed when connecting into Japan from various global locations.
Why It’s Important: Fast speeds enable smooth browsing and buffer-free streaming in high quality resolution.
Optimal Result: Less than 15% download speed loss connecting to the VPN’s Japan servers.

5. Streaming Device Compatibility: 15%

What We Did: Inspected how many apps are compatible with streaming devices and tested their performance, including for Apple TV, Fire TV Stick, and Android TV.
Why It’s Important: The more streaming devices a VPN has the more ways you can stream Japanese content.
Optimal Result: Has custom-built, easy-to-use apps available for all major streaming devices, as well as a Smart DNS and router app.

FAQs

Is It Legal to Use a VPN in Japan?

VPNs are entirely legal in Japan and it’s completely okay to get a Japanese IP address from overseas, as long as you don’t use it for illegal activities.

How Do I See English Subtitles on Japanese Netflix?

Many Japanese Netflix titles include English subtitles, but not all. If they’re available, you’ll find them in the Audio and Subtitles section (bottom right corner) of the options panel.

Netflix Japan English Subtitles

Most Netflix Japan titles come with English subtitles, but not all do.

Do I Need a VPN to Watch Fuji TV?

No, you do not need a VPN to access Fuji TV from abroad. You can access the TV channel’s website and stream its video content from anywhere in the world.