Best VPN Apps for Japan

Japan has as much as 92% of its population connected to internet services. For many years, citizens did not need to worry about government interference or censorship on their online activities; however, this has begun to change slowly.

At the moment, there are several restrictions placed on online streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. If you live in Japan or have intentions of visiting the country soon, your best bet to avoid government interference in your personal information is through the use of VPNs.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a software that sidesteps any restriction on any online content. At the same time, it helps maintain your anonymity and privacy. A VPN will encrypt all the activities coming from your phone, rerouting the traffic and sending them through an intermediary server that you choose.

Find below a comprehensive review of some VPN service providers for use in Japan.

Quick Guide

This is a quick guide to give you a brief idea of what to expect with each of the VPNs in our list.

  1. ExpressVPN – This is perhaps one of the best VPNs you can find in Japan. With its constant improvement over time, ExpressVPN helps you unlock geo-restricted content quickly.
  2. NordVPN – This is also another excellent option for security and speed. It is also budget-friendly and provides you with excellent benefits without steep prices.
  3. SurfShark – This provider is the best for security. It prioritizes securing the identity of its users even while providing excellent service.
  4. UltraVPN – This VPN provider is coming up the ranks as a strong contender in the VPN business space. With its great speed and security functions, UltraVPN is a viable alternative to explore.
  5. CyberGhost – This VPN is ideal for those who are beginners. It comes with a great user-friendly interface and has a decent streaming speed.
  6. ProtonVPN – Although a bit pricey, ProtonVPN has a history of making good on its promise of providing water-tight security.
  7. Trust.Zone – Trust.Zone provides VPN services that are ideal for those looking to get tight security at an awesome value.

7 Best VPN Apps for Japan

ExpressVPN

Device image

Key features

  • No logging of personal data
  • Excellent customer support
  • Over 3000 servers
  • Fast and reliable speeds

ExpressVPN has its location in the British Virgin Islands but offers protection wherever you are located. This provider comes with a minimalist design app that is easy to navigate. Furthermore, the connection to the 3000 servers located in more than 94 countries is super efficient. This provider has servers located in almost every country of the world, so unblocking content restricted to a particular location will be a breeze.

ExpressVPN is one of the very few VPN services that can get you access to geo-restricted content on Netflix Japan, Amazon Prime Video, HBO and Showtime. It supports torrents and works well with Hulu and BBC iPlayer.

Security is one of ExpressVPN’s strongest suits. It makes use of an Advanced Encryption System (AES). This is the same kind of security employed by the US military to secure its files. Thus, you can rest assured that your security will not be easily compromised. It does not store your personal data, but it does retain information on the time and date of connection to its servers.

NordVPN

Device image

Key features

  • Super-affordable
  • Cryptocurrency payments allowed
  • Compatible with all devices
  • Optimized servers with AES 256-bit encryption

NordVPN is based in Panama, one of the countries that have no regulations requiring data loggings. Thus, the government cannot harass the service provider for user information.

NordVPN takes the subject of protecting the online privacy of its users very seriously. It can also keep you safe even when you are making use of an unsecure connection such as a public Wi-Fi. Its encryption is top-notch and comes with amazing features such as a kill switch, Domain Name System (DNS) leak protection, double encryption, etc. You can also make use of it to unblock content from all over the world from within Japan.

It has an impressive number of servers; a whopping 5386 servers spread across 59 countries of the world, thus ensuring hitch-free surfing. It can also be used on 6 devices simultaneously. If you are skeptical about putting your money into it, you should know that NordVPN comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can simply opt-out if you aren’t satisfied with its offer, although it is highly unlikely that would happen.

NordVPN is an excellent alternative for ExpressVPN, so, if you find the latter too pricey for comfort, you can make use of NordVPN and enjoy much the same security benefits at a reduced cost.

Surfshark

Device image

Key features

  • Ads and tracking blocker
  • Connects unlimited devices simultaneously
  • Excellent speed
  • 24/7 customer support

SurfShark offers some of the best prices out there, which makes a few folks wary considering that it promises to give users all the benefits given by providers that charge more. Well, if that is your case, you can rest easy. Surfshark gives you great value for your money. Not only is it cheaper from the get-go, but the cost also reduces the longer the duration you opt for.

SurfShark has more than 1,000 servers in 60 countries. It updates its IP addresses often, making it harder for them to get traced or hacked. Furthermore, Surfshark has a camouflage option which disguises the fact that you are using a VPN. Your online activity will look like nothing out of the ordinary, especially to government bodies.

SurfShark is big on anonymity even beyond what is offered by many other VPN providers. It gives you the option of paying with untraceable cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum or Bitcoin. In terms of ease of use, SurfShark is easily one of the best available. Even if you have no prior knowledge of using its service, the interface is easy to navigate.

UltraVPN

Device image

Key features

  • 256-bit AES encryption.
  • App compatibility with most devices.
  • Unlimited bandwidth.
  • One-click connect.

UltraVPN is a fast-rising VPN located in the United Kingdom and spreading across the rest of the globe. The provider has an edge over some of its competitors because it comes with the option of unlimited bandwidth, meaning that there is no cap on what you can use the VPN for. It has more than 1,000 servers in 100+ countries across the globe so you can access content all over the world from Japan.

UltraVPN does keep some logs. This is because it has its headquarters in the United States, which is a member of the 5/9/14-Eyes Alliance. What this also means is that countries that are allies can request for, and be granted access to information about users. However, the threat is not much because what UltraVPN tracks is only IP addresses, device information and location, without going into the specifics of your activity online.

UltraVPN is compatible with most PCs, tablets and mobile devices.

CyberGhost

Device image

Key features

  • Been around for a long time
  • Robust and fast servers
  • Many servers in Japan

CyberGhost, based in Romania, provides the best experience for new users. It gives an entirely anonymous online experience while making sure that the user learns the ropes of using a VPN with ease.

The provider is insistent that no user logs are stored, although they maintain that they adhere strictly to Romanian laws. At the moment, Romanian laws do not make it compulsory to store user data.

CyberGhost VPN has more than 5700 servers all over the world – an impressive record. This makes it a great option to access content in virtually every location on the planet, from within Japan. What’s more? It unblocks geo-censored content at relatively high speeds. CyberGhost offers simultaneous connection of up to 7 devices; this means that you and your friends or family can connect all your devices to a single subscription and enjoy premium VPN services.

ProtonVPN

Device image

Key features

  • Best free VPN on the market
  • Easy to use Android app
  • Superb security features

The Swiss-based ProtonVPN is no stranger to the online security business. The company runs ProtonMail, an encrypted end-to-end email service. ProtonVPN has a DNS leak protection, built-in Tor support and routes traffic through multiple servers to mask movement patterns.

It has more than 722 servers in 46 countries, with most of them located in Europe and North America. Although the number of servers is low compared to other providers, ProtonVPN more than makes up for it in the quality service it provides. ProtonVPN does not contract out the management of its servers, making sure that they are also connected to the internet using the company’s network.

Apart from the regular plan, ProtonVPN has a basic plan, although with this you will not have access to premium servers and cannot stream Netflix too. It also has a free plan, which is available in just three countries, Japan being one of them. Moreso, it allows for simultaneous connections of up to 10 devices, depending on your subscription plan.

Trust.Zone

Device image

Key features

  • Offers complete anonymity
  • Unblocks all kind of websites
  • 164 Servers in 80+ Zones
  • Free trial period

Trust.Zone is based in Seychelles, which makes it a solid option if you are interested in by-passing governmental interference in Japan or any other country. It provides great security while you surf the net, hides your identity and keeps off anyone looking to snoop around your ISP.

Trust.Zone offers a 3-day free trial period and allows you to download up to 1GB worth of material during the free period. It comes with AES-256 bit encryption, L2TP over IPSec and Open VPN. Trust.Zone boasts of having a warrant canary. This means that the government has never requested that they provide information on any user. Of course, this does not guarantee that there would be no government interference in the future; it does, however, speak to Trust.Zone’s transparency.

One downside to this VPN provider is that its speed may not match some of the other providers. Trust.Zone has apps for most operating systems, including Android, iOS, and Windows. And compared to other providers, it is cheaper with rates as low as $2.33 per month.

What to Look for When Choosing a VPN for Japan

You have to make sure the provider does not keep logs of its users’ activities. This is important because Japan is known for collating data from the online activities of its citizens. If you aren’t careful, information such as your browsing history will be available to the government whenever they need it.

Also, look out for providers with a large network of servers. Particularly, confirm that the provider has servers in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. These two countries are important because they can give you access to geo-blocked content such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer which you wouldn’t have access to otherwise.

Also, a provider with a large network of servers will give you access to many shared IP addresses which you can make use of to mask your real address. For servers in Japan, apart from helping you conceal your identity, they also enhance the speed of the connection. The closer the server is to your location, the faster your speed will be.

Furthermore, make sure the VPN provider makes use of a high-level encryption. The encryption should be at least 256-bit. This will make it impenetrable to hackers, another group that is interested in collating and making use of your online footprint.

Conclusion

The benefits of making use of a VPN can never be overemphasized, especially if you are cautious about your online presence. If you’re also looking to bypass geo-restricted content around the world, a VPN comes in handy. Above, you will find some of the best VPN providers for Japan.The choice is up to you!