Every Japanese service we tried was unblocked from a Tokyo server. Netflix Japan, TVer, Abema, U-NEXT, and NHK+ were unblocked on NordVPN, Proton VPN, and ExpressVPN, so speed decides the ranking. ExpressVPN measured 163.94 Mbps, ahead of NordVPN at 160.47 Mbps and Proton VPN at 159.99 Mbps, and Proton VPN recorded the lowest ping at 249 ms.
Japanese IP Address: Four Steps for September 2026
- Get a NordVPN subscription and install the app.
- Select Japan from the country list, which connects to Tokyo or Osaka.
- Confirm the country on a checker such as ipleak.net.
- Open the Japanese service and sign in as usual.
Connecting to Tokyo or Osaka
A Japanese server offers the IP address that Japanese sites see, in place of the one from your own connection. Japanese services then see a connection coming from Japan. Searching the country list is quicker than scrolling it, and the whole process takes about a minute. The same method produces a Taiwanese IP address or any other country the app covers.
The check afterwards is optional but quick. Open a lookup site, read the country, and only then sign in to a bank or a broadcaster account. NordVPN, Proton VPN, and ExpressVPN publish apps for every major system, and our Mac VPN guide covers the desktop builds.
Japanese Streaming Services and the Location Check
TVer, Abema, U-NEXT, and NHK+ read the IP address before the player starts, and a connection from outside Japan returns a regional error. Netflix behaves differently. Its library changes with the IP address, and a Tokyo connection brings up the Japanese titles. An American server supplies the US catalog instead, compared in our USA VPN rankings.
Two of those services cost nothing. TVer streams recent terrestrial programming with no subscription, and Abema has a free ad-supported tier alongside its paid one. NHK+ attaches a condition: signing in requires an NHK receiving contract, and the confirmation code arrives by post at a Japanese address. U-NEXT, Hulu Japan, and FOD Premium are paid subscriptions, so a Japanese IP address is only the first requirement.
Live sport is part of the demand as well. Our F1 streaming guide lists the channels showing each race, and our Japan VPN rankings cover which apps work best in Japan.
How the Three Compare in Tokyo
Our September figures come from a Windows 11 machine in Europe on a 190.36 Mbps home line. We connected each app to Japan, confirmed the country, then tried the five Japanese services in a browser with no stored cookies.
| VPN | Japanese cities | Servers | Download | Upload | Ping | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | Tokyo, Osaka | 130+ | 160.47 Mbps | 17.57 Mbps | 251 ms | $3.49/mo |
| Proton VPN | Tokyo, Osaka | 315 | 159.99 Mbps | 18.31 Mbps | 249 ms | $2.99/mo |
| ExpressVPN | Tokyo, Osaka, Shibuya, Yokohama | Not published | 163.94 Mbps | 17.15 Mbps | 266 ms | $2.99/mo |
Best VPNs for Tokyo and Osaka
1. NordVPN: Smart DNS for Consoles and TVs
Pros
- Tokyo and Osaka servers
- TVer and Abema unblocked
- Smart DNS included
- Double VPN available
Cons
- Conflicts with other VPN apps
- Renewal price increases
NordVPN unblocked the five Japanese services we tried, with Netflix Japan playing in 4K and no quality drop through the session. Its Japanese server measured 160.47 Mbps down and 17.57 Mbps up at 251 ms, a 15.7% loss. The app names Tokyo and Osaka across 130+ Japanese servers, so a second city is available when the first is busy.
Smart DNS puts the Japanese IP address on a television or console without VPN support, so a Samsung or LG set supports Japanese apps. One Windows fault persists: a second VPN installed on the same PC can block the connection, and restarting the app fixes it at the cost of signing in again. The Basic plan costs $94.23 for its 27-month term before renewing at $139.08 a year.
2. Proton VPN: Most Servers in Japan
Pros
- Physical Japanese servers
- U-NEXT and NHK+ unblocked
- Lowest ping to Tokyo
- Annual no-logs audits
Cons
- Smart DNS missing
- No post-quantum encryption
Proton VPN lists 315 servers across Tokyo and Osaka, where NordVPN counts 130+, and the app applies no Smart routing badge to the entry, the label it uses for a country served from servers abroad. Those servers are in Japan. Securitum has audited its no-log policy in five consecutive years. Speed came in at 159.99 Mbps at 249 ms, a 16.0% loss and the lowest Tokyo ping we recorded.
Japanese mobile games benefit from that figure. It unblocked every Japanese service on our list, with no detection screen. Without Smart DNS, a Japanese IP address can’t be applied to a television directly, and the setup moves to the router. VPN Plus is $3.99 a month on the annual plan, $47.88 up front.
3. ExpressVPN: Best Download Speed to Tokyo
Pros
- Quickest Tokyo download
- Netflix Japan unblocked
- Obfuscation as standard
- Four Japanese cities
Cons
- Highest Japanese ping
- Fewest settings to adjust
ExpressVPN recorded 163.94 Mbps down and 17.15 Mbps up from Japan, a 13.9% loss and the quickest Japanese download we measured. Ping measured 266 ms, the highest Japanese figure we recorded. The app lists four Japanese cities, Tokyo, Osaka, Shibuya, and Yokohama, with no server count published for them. The same five were unblocked from it, with no second attempt required.
Obfuscation is applied automatically, so a filtered office or campus network requires no extra setup. Adjustable settings include the protocol and the kill switch. The Basic plan renews at $99.95 a year once its first 28 months are up. Its mobile trial requires a card at signup, and our ExpressVPN trial guide covers the terms.
When One Japanese Server Is Blocked, and Another Isn’t
Japanese streaming services are strict about addresses shared by many people at once, and a hosting company offers exactly that kind of address to a VPN. An address that unblocks TVer today can be blocked in a month, once enough VPN traffic has passed through it. The specific address an app assigns decides the result. Connect to a second Japanese server and reload before blaming the subscription.
Clear cookies between attempts, since a stored session from a foreign IP address can contradict the new one. Where a VPN offers several Japanese cities, connect to a different one, because each city uses separate address ranges. ExpressVPN offers four, and NordVPN and Proton VPN list Tokyo and Osaka, so a second range is available without changing VPN.
Japan on a Free VPN Plan
No free plan lets you request a Japanese server. Proton VPN’s free tier includes Japan among its ten countries, though the app decides which one an account receives, and Japan wasn’t offered to us during testing.
TunnelBear’s free plan lost its country picker in app version 4.8.1, released on January 26, 2026, so a free account connects to the location it’s given, on 2 GB a month. The free tiers from Windscribe, PrivadoVPN, and Hide.me exclude Japan. Data caps limit it further. Two hours of HD video exhausts most free allowances, enough for a single film.
VPNs and Japanese Law
VPN use is legal in Japan, and the country applies no national filtering. Nothing in Japanese law restricts installing or connecting through a VPN. Japan criminalized downloading pirated video and music in 2012 and extended the rule to manga, magazines, and academic texts in January 2021, with penalties of up to two years in prison or a fine of up to 2 million yen for repeat downloading.
A VPN doesn’t change what’s legal to download. Broadcasters add their conditions on top of the law. Netflix, U-NEXT, and Hulu Japan tie an account to its country of registration, and a violation puts the account at risk of suspension.
Our Verdict
Install NordVPN for a Japanese IP address. Tokyo and Osaka are named in its app, its Tokyo download measured 160.47 Mbps, and Smart DNS puts a Japanese IP address on a television that supports no VPN app. The Windows conflict is its one recurring fault. Proton VPN is stronger on coverage and ping, with 315 servers in two Japanese cities and no Smart routing label on the country, so the servers are physically in Japan.
ExpressVPN lists four Japanese cities and took the quickest Tokyo download, at the highest ping of the three. Streaming gains from the download, and gaming loses on the ping. Ping from Europe stays near 250 ms on any of the three, so set playback quality to match. Our main VPN rankings compare the three on everything beyond Japan.
Japanese IP Address FAQs
How do I change my IP address to Japan?
Install a VPN and select Japan. NordVPN and Proton VPN list Tokyo and Osaka, and Japanese sites read the new country a few seconds after the app connects.
Does TVer work with a VPN?
Yes, TVer streams from a Japanese IP address. NordVPN and Proton VPN unblock it, and the service requires no subscription, so a Japanese connection is the only condition.
Can I watch Netflix Japan with a VPN?
Yes, a Japanese server switches the catalog over. NordVPN and Proton VPN unblock the Japanese library, which loads in place of the local one with no setting to change.
Is there a free VPN with Japanese servers?
Proton VPN's free plan includes Japan among its 10 countries. Free accounts are assigned a country automatically, so Tokyo can't be requested and it may never come up.
Is it legal to use a VPN in Japan?
Yes, VPN use is legal in Japan. Japanese copyright law penalizes downloading pirated material, and that applies to a connection whether or not a VPN is in use.