Japan: SMS delivery facts
SMS delivery to Japan uses calling code +81. Alphanumeric sender IDs are not supported; carriers commonly override or restrict custom display, so numeric and short-code routes are standard. Japanese script requires UCS-2, limiting each SMS to 70 characters single or 67 per concatenated segment.
| Country calling code | +81 (ITU-T E.164 assigned country codes, retrieved 2026-07-27) |
|---|---|
| E.164 format | +81 followed by the national subscriber number, no leading trunk zero, 15 digits maximum overall (ITU-T E.164) |
| Alphanumeric sender ID | not supported (per Japanese mobile carrier SMS delivery practice, retrieved 2026-07-26) |
| Registration regime | carrier-specific practice |
| Dominant language(s) | Japanese |
| Native-text charset | UCS-2 — 70 characters per single SMS, 67 per concatenated segment (GSM 03.38 default alphabet vs script analysis, retrieved 2026-07-27) |
| Published smsroute rate | USD 0.058 per message, dated snapshot (source, retrieved 2026-07-27). Current rate and send path: rate card for Japan |
Sender-ID rules
Japanese carriers commonly override or restrict custom alphanumeric sender display; numeric and short-code routes are the standard path. (per Japanese mobile carrier SMS delivery practice, verified 2026-07-26)
Japan's sender-ID handling is carrier-specific rather than governed by a formal public scheme, with alphanumeric IDs not supported. Kanji and kana force UCS-2 encoding, yielding 70 characters per single SMS and 67 per segment.
Character set and message length
Native Japanese text is classed as UCS-2 here: 70 characters fit a single SMS and 67 per segment once a message is concatenated.
Kanji/kana force UCS-2 — 70 chars per single SMS, 67 per segment.
To count segments for a concrete message, use the UDH segment surgeon; to compare all 40 countries side by side, the country requirements explorer reads the same open dataset (CC-BY 4.0).
Every figure above is maintained by SMSRoute guides with a named source and retrieval date - the machine-readable copy for Japan lives in api/v2/countries.json (CC-BY), field-level provenance included.
Frequently asked
- Are alphanumeric sender IDs supported for SMS to Japan?
- No. Alphanumeric sender IDs are not supported; Japanese carriers commonly override or restrict custom alphanumeric sender display, and numeric and short-code routes are the standard path.
- What charset and segment lengths apply to SMS in Japan?
- Charset class is UCS-2. Kanji/kana force UCS-2 — 70 chars per single SMS, 67 per segment.
- What is the calling code and published SMS rate for Japan?
- The calling code is +81. The published rate is 0.058 USD (retrieved 2026-07-27).
- How do I test SMS delivery to Japan without a local SIM?
- Use a delivery-testing service that sends to real Japanese mobile numbers. SMSRoute accounts include free test credits so you can confirm handset delivery without needing your own local SIM.
- Can I use my company name as the sender for SMS to Japan?
- No. Alphanumeric sender IDs are not supported; Japanese carriers commonly override or restrict custom alphanumeric sender display, so numeric and short-code routes are the standard path.
Related
- DLR status codes behind Japan delivery reports
- Metrics to check before trusting a Japan route
- Malaysia: SMS delivery facts
- Mexico: SMS delivery facts
- Netherlands: SMS delivery facts
- Sender ID (glossary)
- GSM-7 (glossary) · UCS-2 (glossary)
- All 40 country fact sheets
Facts on this page are dated snapshots with named sources; rates change — the linked rate card is authoritative. Corrections: ops@smsroute.cc. Last verified 2026-07-27.