The Best VPNs for Japan

With the right VPN, you can connect to a server in Japan, get a Japanese IP address and unblock geo-restricted video platforms such as Netflix Japan, AbemaTV, TVer, and Prime Video Japan from overseas.

Sadly, not all VPNs have servers in Japan and even those that have are often unable to bypass Japanese geo-restrictions.

You can use the table below to compare our recommended VPNs based on Japanese server locations, access to Japanese streaming platforms, speed, and price.

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.

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 the Netflix Japan and 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.

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

Netflix displays different content in different countries. It uses your IP address location to block you from streaming libraries outside your physical location.

To change your Netflix region you’ll need an effective VPN, which not only spoofs your IP address but is specifically-designed to evade Netflix IP address bans and blacklists.

Japanese Netflix has one of the best content libraries available, but many VPNs fail to unblock it. The video below shows you how to do it using ExpressVPN.

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

Many of our readers use a Fire TV Stick to access their favorite streaming services, including Netflix.

The video below shows how to use a VPN, in this case NordVPN, to unblock Japanese Netflix on Firestick:

If you encounter issues following any of the instructions above, there are a number of solutions to fix your VPN not working with Netflix.

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.