How to call Japan from Malaysia

From mobile: +81 x xxxx xxxx
From landline: 00 81 x xxxx xxxx

From $0.07/min in your browser, no plan needed

How to dial Japan from Malaysia

How to make a call to Japan from Malaysia: dial the exit code, the country code, and the number. A Japanese number written with a leading 0, such as 03, loses that 0 after 81.

00Malaysia exit code
81Country code of Japan
3Tokyo
xxxx xxxxLocal number

From a mobile: +81 x xxxx xxxx

Paste or type a number here to see how to dial it from anywhere

+81

Example: +81 3 1234 5678

You call from

Mobile: +81 3 1234 5678
Landline: 00 81 3 1234 5678

Main area codes in Japan

The area code comes right after 81, then the local number

Tokyo00 813then 8 digits
Yokohama00 8145then 7 digits
Osaka00 816then 8 digits
Nagoya00 8152then 7 digits
Sapporo00 8111then 7 digits
Fukuoka00 8192then 7 digits
Kawasaki00 8144then 7 digits
Kobe00 8178then 7 digits

Guide to the +81 country code of Japan

Before you call Japan

Drop the 0 of Japanese numbers

Calling Japan from Malaysia, a 03 number becomes 00 81 3. Keeping the 0 makes the call fail.

Fails: 00 81 0 3 xxxx xxxx
Works: 00 81 3 xxxx xxxx

Dial Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe

Each is a 9-digit number after 81: the area code plus the local digits.

Osaka00 81 6
Kyoto00 81 75
Kobe00 81 78

Calling Japan cell phones with plus

How to call Japan number from Malaysia: save it with +81, and it works from a mobile. Type it in the dialer above.

Hold 0 until + appears
Dial 81
Dial the area code without 0, then the number

Calling Japan from Malaysia without an international plan

Suparelay calls Japan for $0.07/min from your browser, with no plan. Without one, carriers in Malaysia charge up to $0.59/min. CelcomDigi, Maxis, and U Mobile include no calls to Japan in their plans, so each call is billed by the minute.

Carrier	Japan on a plan	Per minute
SuparelayNo plan neededUp to 8× cheaper	No plan needed	$0.07 landline$0.09 mobile
CelcomDigiNo plan for Japancelcomdigi.com · 2026	No plan for Japan	$0.59 + tax
MaxisNo plan for Japanmaxis.com.my · 2026	No plan for Japan	$0.59 + tax
U MobileNo plan for Japanu.com.my · 2026	No plan for Japan	$0.069 landline · $0.24 mobile + tax

Want to call Japan?

Type the number and call from your browser, with no app and no plan

When to call Japan

The time now in Japan, and the best hours to call. The time difference is the same in every month of the year.

Time difference: All year: 1 hour ahead of Kuala Lumpur
Daylight saving time: None, the clocks never change

Holidays in Japan

Why a call to Japan fails

Prepaid 5G Biru Unlimited Passes cover domestic calls only

On CelcomDigi Prepaid 5G Biru, the Unlimited Passes cover calls inside Malaysia only. International calls are not part of the pass.

CelcomDigi, Prepaid 5G Biru fair usage policy

From any country, a call to Japan also fails when

The 0 is still in the number
The exit code is wrong for your country

How to fix each one

Questions

How to call Japan from a Malaysia cell phone or mobile?

Dial +81, then the number. It works from any mobile in Malaysia

Are calls to Japan included in Malaysia phone plans?

Not on most plans. No carrier in Malaysia that we checked includes Japan in a plan

How much does it cost to call Japan from Malaysia?

With no plan, carriers in Malaysia charge up to $0.59 a minute. Suparelay charges each started minute, from your browser

How to call Tokyo from Malaysia?

For Tokyo, dial 00 81 3, then the 8-digit local number

Do I need to dial 00 to call Japan?

From a landline, yes: dial 00, then 81. From a mobile, type + instead, and the phone adds the exit code

How do I dial a +81 number?

Press and hold 0 until + appears, then dial 81 and the number

Can I call Japan on my iPhone?

Yes. In the Phone app, press and hold 0 for +, then dial 81 and the number. Your plan must allow calls to Japan

Why isn't my call going through to Japan?

The usual causes: the 0 is still in the number and the exit code is wrong for your country. Each one is listed above, with a link to its fix