"Dan Rempel" <drempel@islandnet.com> wrote in message 
news:cbbcd8a4a53d590317cb2cef3699c0ec@grapevine.islandnet.com...
> CL wrote:
>> Dan Rempel wrote:
>>
>>> Michael Cash wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Fri, 17 Mar 2006 05:25:51 GMT, <shepshep1@excite.com> brought down
>>>> from the Mount tablets inscribed:
>>>>
>>>>> Hello, my wife would like to buy a cheap prepaid mobile phone to use
>>>>> the
>>>>> next time we visit Japan. You can buy one as cheaply as ?20 in the
>>>>> UK and
>>>>> that includes ?5 credit, is there a similar deal available in Japan?
>>>>> Thanks for any information.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Available at practically any convenience store.
>>>
>>>
>>> I thought those phones had been discontinued, or at least made nearly
>>> impossible for foreigners to use. I was going to get a ridiculously
>>> expensive keitai from Telecom Square, but if those little toy ones are
>>> still available it would save me a bundle. Are you fairly sure us gaigin
>>> can still purchase and activate the things?
>>
>>
>> Assuming Vodafone still exists this morning, you can get a phone and the
>> first card for about ichi-man all in.  New cards are available at any
>> Seven-Eleven.  Overseas connect rates suck, big time.
>>
>> You will need a valid ID, though.  I have helped a number of foreign
>> visitors buy them.  The Vodafone-only shops have always been more open
>> minded about what constitute ID.  Some of the multi-brand shops wanted a
>> gaijin torokusho and would not even look at a passport or accept my home
>> address when I offered to buy the phone for the people I was with.
>
> I'll be visiting, same as the original poster, and so my only real ID
> will be a passport. Last time I was over noone would sell me a phone on
> that basis, but Mike's post led me to believe that's changed. Still like
> to know a bit more about the current situation, though.
>
> Dan

My understanding reading all the telco websites is that a gaijin card is now 
required. I asked my friend in Japan to purchase and acticate a cheap 
Vodafone prepaid handset purchased from a convenience store for less than 
4,000 yen + 3,000 yen call credit card. NTT DoCoMo have discontinued their 
"Precall" prepaid service. I believe Vodafone and KDDI (both their "au" 
brand and "Tu-ka" brand) still have prepaid offerings but require 
gaijin-card to purchase (passport alone not acceptable). 


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