Move calls and plan control to Rakuten Link.

Turn actual data and calls into one monthly bill

Rakuten SAIKYO Plan changes price automatically with domestic and eligible overseas data use. It is a resident phone plan with a Japanese number, normal carrier SMS, and eSIM or physical-SIM routes—not a tourist data-only product.

• Up to 3GB costs ¥1,078. This fits light mobile use when home, school, or work Wi-Fi carries video, backups, and updates.
• More than 3GB through 20GB costs ¥2,178. Crossing 3GB raises that month's bill by ¥1,100, so use two or three recent months rather than the cheapest headline.
• More than 20GB costs ¥3,278 with unlimited domestic data, subject to fair-use speed controls. Tethering is included and counts toward usage.
• The plan includes up to 2GB of high-speed overseas roaming in supported areas each month; overseas use also counts toward the plan's price-setting data total.

Treat Rakuten Link as part of the price

Eligible domestic calls are free only when placed through Rakuten Link. Calling from the phone's standard dialer costs ¥22 per 30 seconds, and some numbers—such as 0570 services and selected short codes—remain outside the free-call scope.

• Call a Japanese mobile or landline from Rakuten Link when it is eligible, and check the number before assuming it is free.
• Rakuten Link requires a Rakuten SAIKYO Plan contract and Rakuten ID login. Applying without a Rakuten ID can leave the app unavailable.
• SMS behavior differs between Android and iPhone. Keep the standard messaging app available for carrier SMS, banking codes, delivery notices, and services that do not use Rakuten Link messaging.
• Before traveling overseas, authenticate Rakuten Link and connect the line to the Rakuten network in Japan; roaming and international-call conditions can change.

Move account control before the old app closes

Rakuten updated its migration notice on July 23. Rakuten Link 4.0 began rolling out to Android on July 23 and iOS on July 24, while the separate my Rakuten Mobile app is scheduled to stop working and disappear from app stores on August 5.

• Link 4.0 is intended to add line activation, data and bill checks, contract changes, options, notifications, calls, and messaging in one app.
• The notice says Android 9 or lower and iOS 15 or lower cannot use Link 4.0. Update the OS or confirm an official alternative before August 5; a supported OS still does not guarantee every imported phone is a Rakuten-compatible device.
• Old in-app notice history will not transfer. Save any activation, billing, campaign, or support information you still need.
• Do not delete my Rakuten Mobile early. Wait until Link 4.0 appears on your device, log in with the correct Rakuten ID, and verify usage, billing, contract controls, calls, and messages.

Use the July 20GB campaign only if you already qualify

Rakuten's live July page offers 1,500 limited-time points to a narrow existing-user group that crosses 20GB for the first time after entering. It is timely context for deciding whether summer data will move you into the unlimited tier, but it is not a new-customer reward.

• Entry runs through July 31, 2026, and must be completed before data use first exceeds 20GB.
• The checked July terms require Rakuten SAIKYO Plan application by May 31 and active use as of June 1, with no previous month over 20GB and no prior Rakuten SAIKYO U-NEXT use.
• The reward is one time, planned around the end of the second month after qualifying, and has a six-month validity period. It is not an instant bill credit.
• A new resident applying now does not meet the May 31 cutoff. Choose the plan for ongoing fit and check separate current first-application or referral rules instead.

Clear the resident application and migration checks

A flexible price does not remove identity, address, payment, device, or number-migration requirements. Foreign residents should prepare the line as a long-term Japanese-number service and keep a bridge connection until it works.

• Rakuten's English identity page requires residence-card name, address, and birth date to match the application. A card with missing or outdated IC-chip address data can block Simple Mobile ID Verification; second-generation cards issued from June 14 follow a shop route in the current guidance.
• Monthly charges can use supported credit/debit cards or bank transfer. Card acceptance is decided by the issuer, so prepare a fallback before stopping an existing line.
• Keep the old SIM or arrival eSIM until the Rakuten number, standard SMS, Rakuten ID, Link 4.0, banking codes, delivery messages, and essential 2FA all work.
• Compare the resident plans, then read the Rakuten English-support guide and FAQ. This site includes referral links; use the referral page only after checking the official price, application, and campaign conditions on the day you apply.