Japan Portable Phones

There are two portable phone systems in Japan, cellular phones (keitai denwa, 携带电话) and the Pocket Phone System (PHS). The cellular phone is more expensive but has more capabilities. You can use it in almost any urban area, inside cars and trains, and you van make international phone calls. NTT DoCoMo provides an i-mode cellular phone service. An i-mode phone is a cellular phone with a small screen that is connected to the Internet. Subscribers are charged according to the volume of information transmitted. With an i-mode phone subscribers can use the phone as a phone, for e-mail, and for web surfing. They can also do banking ticketing, credit card inquires, and mobile trading, and use travel and entertainment services such as reservations, restaurant guides, network games, and even fortune telling. Package plans and prices differ depending on which local company you choose.
The PHS system may be better for those who want a more affordable phone service. This is how the PHS system works: when a phone call is made, it is transmitted form the base center to receiving dishes placed throughout the city and then to your phone. For this reason you can only use it in places with a dish nearby. In larger cities, dishes are placed throughout the streets, at stations, department stores, restaurants, and so on. There is much more interference with PHS and you cannot make international phone calls, but, at a fraction of the price of cellular phone, it is not a bad option.
To qualify for these services you must present your passport and foreign registration card, and you must have been in Japan for at least 120 days prior to purchasing the service.
Needless to say, the telecommunications scene in Japan, like elsewhere, is changing fast, and new services are being offered all the time. Talking to people or looking at recent newspapers and magazines will be the best way of figuring out which service or technology to choose.