Suga wants to cut cell phone charges in Japan by around 40%

Owning a Cell. phone in Japan is like taking on an endless loan, or marriage. Can't pay it off, and can't divorce. Extremely tricky and complicated contracts, This Basic Monthly Fee MUST END. We should only pay when we wish to activate our phones, and we should be able to buy our cell. time or GB when we wish to use our phones.

This is how it's done in many parts of the worlds, why not in Japan.

I used to pay 8000yen a month on docomo, finally decided enough was enough and switched to Rakuten, it's free for 1 year and then 3000yen a month after that. Signal is a bit dodgy in places but on the whole it's good.

The LDP has been saying this for years. They won’t do a damn thing about it.

Cell phone charges in Japan should be cut by around 40% from current levels,

And

Suga also said that a major reason for the sharp rise in inbound tourism that Japan has seen over the past years was that it was made easier to obtain visas.

connected how????...

Monthly cellphone charges are between 2000-7000 

In Japan?! I think not. I don’t know that I ever have a bill under 8000 yen.

Yet, he suggests raising consumption tax - give with one hand and take with the other.

We all know the outcome...

Suga wants to cut cell phone charges in Japan by around 40%

And raise consumption tax again by about 5%? Everyone will STILL end up being poorer in the long run. Jog on mate.

Why cut cell phone charges now? This should have been done years ago. The rates are a total rip-off. I'm now using sim-less phones and only get charged about 1,600 yen which includes a phone number. Most of my calls are via apps.

Suga also said that a major reason for the sharp rise in inbound tourism that Japan has seen over the past years was that it was made easier to obtain visas.

And? The sky is blue, but do I have a point?

Reduced charges with unlimited data on new 5g networks will fuel growth for many businesses! Japan needs to lead again!

I paid 30,000 for a sim-free Galaxy, plus 3500円/month for 10GB and 60min of talk with Au's signal. Not a bad deal. Get out of the three main networks and go for an MVNO.

In Japan?! I think not. I don’t know that I ever have a bill under 8000 yen.

With Japan major carriers 7000-8000 Yen or can be more.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/892938/japan-monthly-costs-mobile-phones-by-major-carriers/

With MVNO also combination with WiFi that you use in your office or home, it can be less than that.

So here's the rub: I'm using the 7BG/month plan from Mobal with an unlocked Motorola 6G plus. The initial cost was something like 40000 JPY, and since three years I'm paying less than 5000/month. The speeds and coverage is the same as Softbank's, with less than 1/3rd of the cost.

Reduced cell phone charges in combination with 5g will fuel growth for many new industries and businesses.

He’s got my vote right there. One Japanese phone company charges so much that its CEO went to the newly elected Trump & offered to invest $50 billion in the US. Where did he get that money?

Ebisen, I now use Penguin. For 5 phones I’m paying around 1 万円 a month.

MVNO is the way to go in Japan. (In the US too, for me, with Google Fi.)

You can still have the same coverage as Docomo, au, or Softbank, but at much lower cost. (Most only offer D or A, tho.)

We were using IIJmio on the D network, which was okay. But, we're using Line Mobile now over Softbank. We started on Line with Docomo, but switched to Softbank, which is much much faster data speeds. I think Docomo may throttle their MVNO partners, based on how slow they were compared to Softbank with the same MVNO.

I am paying 1800 Yen a month with DM mobile.

The government needs to get it that only affordable unlimited super fast 5g data highways will bring about society 5.0 with billions of connected devices.

About time, the most expense phone charges in Asia for the worst service. And WiFi in Japan including Tokyo is a poor joke compared to South Korea or Taiwan , Singapore..

on JR for example “ free why WiFi when arriving at a station will take over temporary from the phone provider but the signal is to weak to be workable . They talk about 5g but can not even make 4g work properly.

i did not mention the fastfood and other shops were connecting to their “ free” WiFi takes engineering skills or ridiculous long proceedings.

in bad weather the internet service, and I am talking central Tokyo, a high end serviced appartement slows down sometimes to unworkable speed.

And I agree with others here, I have, combined with my wife 6 I phone numbers and subscriptions, even not using one for a whole month the minimum charge is just over 7000 yen and that does not include paying for the phone itself as I buy them in ownership in one time.

seem to have been hearing this about phone charges for years, no?

40% discount? I'll believe it when I see my discounted bill. Talk is cheap.

BTW, wake me up when unlimited data plans are available. Until then, zip it.

Suga also said that a major reason for the sharp rise in inbound tourism that Japan has seen over the past years was that it was made easier to obtain visas.

Tourists don't have problems obtaining tourist visas for 3 months. That was never the issue for tourism......before COVID-19 anyway. And never mind "past years," this is Corona-Era, the rules have changed.

How about charges for Internet services, when companies don't even bear the cost of installing the infrastructure they charge 5-6000 a month to use?

We pay 4389Y/month for "1Gbps" fiber optic service. (Although, it's really more like 200-300Mbps)

Installation was free. So, our provider bore the cost of the infrastructure and installation.

Suga wants to cut cell phone charges in Japan by around 40%

Increase tax by giving little bit discount in another place. Monthly cellphone charges are between 2000-7000 it's really depend on people choice to choose between major operator or MVNO.

https://resources.realestate.co.jp/living/getting-a-cell-phone-in-japan-softbank-price-plans-explained

With 40% discount, so it will gives saving arround 800-2800 Yen, based on the above price. Let's say people got 2,800 yen discount. While text increase is will be 20% from current 10%, that means 10% increase, so buying total monthly item by 28,000 Yen will easily cancel effect of that discount.

So that tax will cost more people money even with those cellphone discount.

Owning a Cell. phone in Japan is like taking on an endless loan, or marriage. Can't pay it off, and can't divorce. Extremely tricky and complicated contracts, This Basic Monthly Fee MUST END. We should only pay when we wish to activate our phones, and we should be able to buy our cell. time or GB when we wish to use our phones.

With major operators yes that could happen but there are alternatives.