Foreigners who want an iPhone face severe limitations

Live in Japan and want an iPhone? If you’re a foreigner, you’ll probably have to pay a huge sum of money. Blogger w00kie has translated the terms on Softbank’s website (Update: Some have said that they were able to get phones using a Japanese drivers’ license/health insurance ID, but others claim to have been turned down because of visa status. The situation could depend on the helpfulness of staff members at individual Softbank store locations.):

1. Bring your Gaikokujin Torokusho (Alien Card) + Passport. It seems they now require the passport too.
2. Check your visa expiration date, the following rules apply:

If you’re on a 90 days tourist visa, no soup (or iPhone) for you!

If you have less than 15 months left on your visa, you wont be able to make a contract, but they’ll sell the phone to you without a plan for ￥80.000

Between 15 and 27 months left on your visa, you can either pay it cash for ￥80.000 or negotiate take a 12 months contract (instead of the normal 24) possibly at the discounted ￥20.000 price-tag, but whether the discount applies or not is not clear in the document

Over 27 months and you’re clear, you can buy the phone like any native

Japan’s other major mobile phone service companies do not have similar rules for foreigners that sign up for higher end phone plans.

Update: A revision from Ponta:

It might be a good idea that this blog will inform foreigners of the appropriate procedure to apply for iphone.
If you have Japanese driver’s license, all you need as ID is to present it. If you are asked more ID by any chance , tell them you have seen the SoftBank’s website and tell the staff to call the headquarter etc＊.

I’ve called the Soft Bank now, and it confirmed that you don’t need to show Alien Card and passport if you bring Japanese Driver’s license or insurance certificate plus required documents.
I recommended Soft Bank to ask foreigners if they have other IDs, she complied. And I asked if the above procedure（＊) is right, she confirmed it.

If you’d like to contact Softbank and complain:

Corporate Public relations:
pr@softbank.co.jp

SoftBank Customer Center (only within Japan)
(General Information) Business hours: 9:00-20:00
From SoftBank handset: 157(toll-free) – press “8” for English support
From fixed-line phone: 0088-21-2000(toll-free) – press “8” for English support

SoftBank Global Call Center
From your host country: +81-3-5351-3491(charged)

And Apple’s public relations representative in Japan, Takashi Takebayashi, can be contacted at:

takashi.takebayashi@asia.apple.com

———-

Update: While we’re on the topic of foreigners and iPhones, what’s the deal with the headline on Nikkei’s Trendy Net referring to the iPhone as being similar to a foreigner that speaks really good Japanese?
[hat tip to Darin]

77 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - July 11, 2008 at 1:46 pm

Categories: Discrimination Tags: iphone, japan

Theo

The stores in my area also demand a atamakin of between 3000 and 15000 per iPhone. With that and the restrictions listed above, I guess I’m just out of luck.
Robert

The new restrictions regarding the alien card + passport is nothing new, they made the law stricter a few years back. Until then, you could walk up with your passport and a credit card and get a phone, but now the alien card is the big kicker. Of course, if you’ve already got a line and want to upgrade phones, you shouldn’t need it. I’ve not needed it when upgrading at both Bic Camera and DoCoMo shops.

With that said, it could be that Softbank is being much stricter in general…

In regards to the price, the 80,000 yen is the actual 1katsu price, so can’t say much there. It’s the same with any other Softbank phone, as the 1katsu price for their phones are higher than other carriers.

As for the paperwork though, it states that they also accept your health insurance card, along with another document such as a gas bill proving your address. I’ve personally used my health insurance card, but it shows I’m a legit hard working company employer, and it’s made it easier to get a credit card and other things. I’ve found when people see a gaijin card, they tend to remember that you are (most likely) to not live here forever, which makes them even more hesitant to trust you.

I’m tempted to find out if they wouldn’t accept the other forms of paperwork if you had them, because you’re a foreigner.
http://www.leblogatommy.fr トミ

Yes i was not able to buy it . it sucks
http://www.leblogatommy.fr トミ

I ll try to write a complain letter in japanese this evening i ll post it here tomorow
kakusei

similar to the health insurance card, wouldn’t showing just a Japanese drivers license suffice?
Kevin

Ha ha, these regulations make it nearly impossible to get the phone cheaper, regardless of your visa. You need to be lucky enough to time a 3-year visa renewal with the purchase of an iphone.

Even the spousal visa usually goes 1 year, 1 year, 3 year, so if you’re in the first two years of your marriage you can’t get the cheap phone. This only leaves long-time employees and permanent residents. Sounds pretty messed up to me.
Nav

While it might seem like they’re discriminating against foreigners, what they really want is the money for the phone and they want to have a reasonably good idea that you’ll be around to give it to them instead of high tailing it out of Japan once you’ve got the machine. Does anyone have a better idea? While obviously one could leave the country at any time and not pay the remaining balance on the phone (Japanese national or not), it’s not too unreasonable to assume that someone who does not have any indication of staying long enough to pay the balance would not qualify to become a monthly paying user of the device and/or service in question. Before we start writing to them about how discriminating it is to force this on foreigners, would anyone happen to have a better, reasonable idea that would work for softbank too?
- Darin
  
  I certainly agree that there is a ‘flight’ risk for foreigners in Japan that isn’t there for foreigners in say America, because lets be honest, any foreigner in America would do anything to stay, while one would do anything to get out of Japan.
  
  But in all reality, lets look at how the other carriers deal with this. Docomo doesn’t even need a form of ID as long as you’re paying with a credit card. And au, I’ve never had a problem either. Even Softbank doesn’t have these rules for any of their other phones, just the iPhone. I did some calling around and Softbank pretty much just said “thems the rules”. Apple says they leave everything to Softbank when it comes to selling the phone. We know that statement isn’t fully true because of the restrictions Apple places on their phones.
  
  But hey, foreigners can’t be trusted, we all know that. That’s why I never wanted a Softbank phone before, because their CEO, Son, a ‘former’ foreigner himself can’t be trusted. 😉
  - http://www.japaneconomynews.com/ Ken
    
    I remember DoCoMo charging a 30,000 yen deposit for foreigners on student visas at one point. Is that still in play?
    - Darin
      
      It wasn’t when I picked up a Docomo phone 4 years ago. I got a phone literally the day I ‘got off the boat’, with not even a foreigner registration card. They talk money, like any business should. Visa man, it’s everywhere you want to be
      
      Currently I have au now, and had a foreigner card and a credit card then too. I did however have only about 1 year left on my visa.
      
      On a side note, when I bought an e-mobile modem, my visa was technically expired as I was going through the renewal process and the immigration office was taking their sweet time. Credit card solved that problem too.
    - Robert
      
      I’m pretty sure that DoCoMo is now requiring a passport + alien registration cards now for new contracts. One of our new employees at work wasn’t able to get a phone anywhere, until his gaijin card came in.
    - Robert
      
      Let me add that by new contract, I mean by not having a current line and starting a 2nd line, but by just walking in and saying giving me a new phone.
      
      I think the big thing here is that one you have an established line, then you have no problems. I’ve have my line for 5 years now with no problems.
      
      Again, I wonder if you walk in with a drivers license/health card would they turn you down, especially if you were coming in on MNP.
      
      To turn you down would be a clear case of discrimination. Come on man, I thought Son himself was a zainichi, you’d think for as hard core as he’s been about changing to an American style phone industry in plans and pricing, he’d be open to uses his phones….
  - http://www.japaneconomynews.com/ Ken
    
    Darin, it was back in 2002 when DoCoMo put it in. I remembered it because that decision caused me to switch from DoCoMo to J-Phone at the time. I had been using DoCoMo for a few years and I liked their service, but the deposit seemed silly. Here are some old links:
    
    http://www.japaninc.com/jin176
    http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?fl20020829zg.htm
    
    I don’t think this is any longer their policy, and it might not have even lasted long. Here’s their new policy stuff, in English:
    
    http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/support/procedure/document/verifying/
    - Darin
      
      Okay, so the conclusion is only Softbank has these types of restrictions, and even Softbank has them only on the iPhone… Which is where we were at before
- Oops
  
  I also figured that that was their main reason: making sure that people who are likely to leave within a certain time, thus not being able to fulfill their contract, are not given the phone. I’m sure that most won’t actually do that, but there are some people that would. This is the reason why I think those regulations are quite reasonable, and besides, strict regulations are always based on the possible actions of the few. However, I’m sure people would disagree since they want the iPhone so much. :] I admit that it’s quite pricey though.
  
  I honestly disliked the iPhone. I had one for awhile and the service, etc, weren’t really worth it, but that’s just me, who prefers service over flashiness. It’s a good product, but useless as an actual phone. I commend Steve for advertising it so well.
  - CH
    
    How can you call this “reasonable”?
    
    I had exactly this problem a couple of months back, I’ve been a Vodafone, Sofbank user for over 6 years and never missed a payment. I’ve had to pay a phone bill of over 70, 000 yen (because I thought that using global roaming was a good idea) and was treated like a common criminal at the Sofbank store in Omotesando. The reason for discriminating against me was “because Chinese buy phones and leave the country”.
http://www.leblogatommy.fr トミ

A japanese can also leave japan without payaing the remaining balance !
So its just dicrimination for foreigner and thats all
- http://www.free-vo.com Free-Vo
  
  Yes but the frequency of japanese people leaving the country (doing a runner) is far far less than the “gaijin” leaving. Stop your complaining people and look at it from a business point of view. Ask around you mates and ask them how many of thier mates who lef the country, also left a massive unpaid phone bill behind. Sofpank has always been the “gaijin friendly” phone company, so they are well informed of this practice. Stop making an issue out of a non-issue.
  This practice is common in Australia!
  - CH
    
    People living Australia, have a clear path to becoming Australian citizens through marriage, immigration…etc, How about people living in Japan? We can’t become citizens, perhaps permanent residents, bit that’s not a given. So basically a lot of people are here on 1-3 year visas, with Wives, Kids….whatever. I asked around and non of my “mates” left the country without paying their bills. Something tells me, you aren’t actually an Aussie, at least not a true blue one.
  - Curt
    
    I could care less about the business point of view, particularly a Japanese business point of view. Consumers here already put up with too much BS price-wise from businesses.
    
    If you register with a credit card, your bill will get paid one way or the other. And if someone leaves before the two year contract, just charge them for the remaining cost of the phone and be done with it. Put it in the contract and have them sign it.
    
    And sorry you must be hanging with the wrong ‘mates’ if they are the kind of people to bail on their phone bills. None of my pals would do this, even the Aussies.
    - http://www.free-vo.com Free-Vo
      
      The fact that you care less about the business point of view, means diddley. business is business and as a business you want to make money. You don’t want people to run off with expensive equipment.
      
      If you really want an Iphone and are a resident with attachements then get your partner to get it for you under thier name or buy it outright.
      
      RE my mates, it happens. Maybe i had dodgy ones, i never did a runner, but it does happen. All too often and sofbank knows this.
      
      It’s not about being australian at all. There is some misreading going on. My point was that in Australia unless you have apermanent visa, you can’t get a phone on contract, like JAPAN. it may be easier in Australia to get a permanenet visa, but hey thats the case.
      
      I’m sticking to my original point. THIS IS A NON ISSUE. It’s not discrimination and it makes perfect sense. Stop making a mountain out of a molehill. If you really want a phone this badly, then buy it out right.
geoff

I just gave them a call, mainly with the intention of complaining. The woman, Kuro-san, told me that in lieu of the passport and registration card I could show my Japanese health insurance card and any valid credit card. This would be sufficient for the required ID to get a two year contract, regardless of actual visa information.

I’m going to try the Omotesando store tomorrow morning and see what happens.
- ponta
  
  Be sure to tell them at Omotesando store that you gave the company a call. And if they hesitated, tell them to call the company.
http://whatjapanthinks.com Ken Y-N

Everybody’s covered the contract bit, but about the dodgy Nikkei Trendy headline – it’s perhaps based on stuff like this:

ただ、日本に上陸して間もないせいか、どうしても日本の文化になじめないところがあるのも事実。絵文字を受信すると、SMSだと「□」、メールは「〓」になってしまう。知らない言葉は理解しようともしてくれない。日本語が上手いからと、気軽に接していると、意外なところで、「育った環境が違うんだねぇ」と驚くこともしばしば。

Basically it understands the language, but without knowing the culture it screws up here and there, with the example being moji-bake-ing emoji – that will mean it will sell approximately zero to any woman under 35…

Then, to track shares you need to use the four-letter code, these’s no way to search names in Japanese.

Then there’s no One Seg or Osaifu Keitai, no 5MP camera, YouTube is too slow over 3G and there’s the lack of public WiFi here.

The conclusion seems to be picturing the iPhone as an American “Cool Beauty” – do you ditch the reliable Japanese model for a bit of foreign adventure?
- http://www.japaneconomynews.com/ Ken
  
  Agree on the features Ken. The lack of public WiFi is a killer. One has to wonder if Softbank, with its tieups with China Mobile et al, will spearhead any development on this.
- http://www.chinarut.com Chinarut
  
  > YouTube is too slow over 3G
  
  can’t say I have first hand experience with 3G but I can vouch for the fact having YouTube on the run was already great over EDGE. the whole nature of what’s possible was more exciting than the speed – I really didn’t think letting it buffer was really that bad…patience!
taiko666

I’ve just checked with Vodafone UK, and there are no special regulations for foreign nationals wishing to open a contract. However, if that foreign national has no credit rating in the UK, a deposit of around £250 (~50000yen) is required, returnable after 6 months (same for UK citizens with no credit rating.) This seems like a workable scheme for Softbank… or is the case that the British can find it within themselves to trust foreigners, whereas the Japanese can’t?
http://kansai52e kansai52e

I LOVE my MAC. I just want an iphone man!

“but you may leave the country”

um, really? what will i eat for dinner? who will my future wife be? will i be famous??
revil

Does anyone know if we pay 80,000 for the phone, can we use a different rate plan?
- revil
  
  I called them. They told me if I pay up front for the iPhone (80,000 for the 16gb version), then the monthly payments will be less. The give a discount to those who do that or something.
LB

I bet the Zainichi Koreans don’t have any problems getting iPhones for a real good rate…
- http://www.japanprobe.com James
  
  Their endless visas wouldn’t be any problem, but I don’t know if their special discount ( http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=3815 ) applies for the iPhone plans.
http://www.fuckedupjapan.com Jamie

Umm, this doesnt seem to tell the whole story. I think those restrictions only apply to new customers. I’ve been a loyal customer for five years straight, I dont think they would turn me down because my Visa is renewed annually.

It seems you can also use your Japanese driving licence as proof, it doesnt HAVE to be your passport.

Im mailing them to check anyway though.
http://chirimotsumoreba.net Jordan

Discriminating against foreigners, heck, what about discrimination against the poor? ￥80.000? Give me a break! I’ll settle for the free phones you get with new plans. They aren’t half bad.
http://naruhodojapan.blogspot.com/ Chris

Those rules are disgusting. No wonder this economy is stagnating. It’s rotting of pure xenophobia.
- http://chirimotsumoreba.net jordan
  
  I don’t think its xenophobia. A lot of people used to skip town without paying their bills.
  
  The economy is stagnating in part because people don’t spend their money in Japan. Whole lot of saving going on!
  - doinkies
    
    I’ve also heard of people who would leave without paying their phone bills. That’s probably what Softbank is trying to prevent.
    
    However there are other foreigners in this thread who were able to get an iPhone from Softbank without these restrictions, and Softbank said that they would also accept a driver’s license or health insurance license. Like Ken Y-N said, these restrictions seem to only be for new customers (but even then it seems to differ, from what Mark said).
- Curt
  
  It’s been xenophobic for a long time – nothing new, unfortunately. It will change – has to. Because there aren’t enough young Japanese to care and serve the aging population anymore.
BurnChao

Um, if you don’t pay for the remainder of your service, then they’ll shut off the service. So what’s the flight risk?
- revil
  
  because the the actual cost of the phone is more than what you pay upfront. they recoup the cost plus sum over the two year period. if you skip out, they lose money.
binbiru

Yay I have eijuken so getting the phone isnt a prob. boohoo to the rest of you.
DragonJade

I remember going to the Softbank store in Machida a year or so ago to ask about upgrading my phone as I’d just broken it. A man in there, I think the manager, was extremely rude, came close to shouting at me saying something along the lines of, “Eigo hanashimasen,” repeatedly (my Japanese not being great I asked if they spoke any English), and practically threw me out.

There is no way I will ever step inside that store again.

People talk about the Japanese having great customer service. It was none existent in that store.
kakusei

just got mine. 16 gig white. showed my japanese drivers license and absolutely no problem. never asked me for my passport or gaijin card. for those that have a jap drivers license (or heath insurance card + credit card), you can circumvent this “discrimination”
- CH
  
  Actually, I was told the same thing at the shop, I forgot to mention it in my last post. If you have a Japanese drivers licence, no problem.
http://whatjapanthinks.com Ken Y-N

James, that’s not a real pic! For one thing, you can’t access Y! Keitai from the iPhone.

As pointed out by others, the restrictions are for new gaijin customers only.

There’s also an interesting article on CNet about the other red flags in the contract:

http://japan.cnet.com/mobile/story/0,3800078151,20377047,00.htm

You have to change email addresses; all emails get auto-purged after 30 days, so they expect you to FW to a PC/Mac adress; if you’re on White or Gold plan MAIL IS NOT FREE; you have to activate yourself at home;etc, etc.
Mark

Your information is not entirely accurate in all cases. I have a pre-student visa valid until next March (so 8 months or so left) and I was able to pick up a 16gb black iPhone today on a new 24-month contract (I moved from AU using an MNP) by showing my passport and tourokusho, and paying with a credit card.

My deal was, around 1 man yen per month including a reduced 1440 yen per month charge for the actual phone on top of the 8500 yen or so actual tariff. Obviously over 24 months. This, if you work it out, is the reduced 36000-odd yen price for the phone.

However, I then this afternoon went to a store in Matsumoto and was told I would need 20 months left on my visa if I were to buy one there. So the truth is, it depends entirely on the store selling them. A crazy situation!

But I obviously found a ‘good’ store, and they were very helpful. I went there at 0745 this morning, and by the time the store opened at 10 there were only 7 people waiting anyway – waaaaaaaay less than the amount of iPhones they actually received (in excess of 20).

Oh, and I love it by the way
http://www.englishnowtv.com Melaman

Well, no such restrictions here in Western Japan.

Like Mark (above), I was given a phone for \34,560 – a figure that leads me to believe some form of price gouging is going on.

However, my monthly rate is lower at just \6,300 per month.
I also ensured that there would be ZERO yen charged on top of this price by having them clarify three times, just how much I can use the phone before extra charges apply. Can’t say it’s a great deal, but better than the \14,000 AU has been charging me every month, despite having a \3,700/month tariff with them.

It might be just as well to wait six months when it emerges that this new iPhone is not taking off as much as expected, and/or, someone gets bored with it and you can find one in the recycle store for near new price, and then just buy an unlock for it, using your SIM card from another carrier.

Softbank sucks at the best of times, and I’m not happy that they and they alone got the deal to provide this phone to the public.
KDDI would be a much better deal and service. I hate Softbank with a passion.

Anyway, the phone is cool and it’s going to be on the battery charger pretty much constantly for the next couple of days until the novelty wears off and I actually put the damn thing down!!

If you want to see what the iPhone 3G is capable of, check this site out: http://www.inyouriphone.com

In the meantime, I’ll be hanging onto my GZOne phone for quite some time yet!
http://weblog.ceicher.com Charles

And the grapes were sour anyway.
http://mackenchi.blogspot.com/ Curt fiedler

What a bunch of racist nonsense, if this treatment of customers is true.

They gonna do the same thing for people with SOFA visas? Or people married to Japanese spouses without long-term visas? Absolute bullshit.

Imagine if they tried to pull something similar to foreigners in the US, Canada or Europe. Barbaric.

My guess is that smaller stores (as indicated above) will give you less BS.

And if anyone gives you BS, call Apple. They would be horrified at this kind of treatment.
- Mark
  
  Yes, they are doing exactly that. The friend with whom I went to the Matsumoto store was told that his spouse visa runs out early next year (it has to be renewed every few years) and thus he was not eligible to buy an iPhone. The lady then went on to say that if he was a permanent resident there would be no problem.
  
  Apart from the obvious, being a spouse visa (and him having a child), only 3 months ago he got a new 24-month contract with Softbank. They obviously had no problem with it back then!
http://www.leblogatommy.fr トミ

So it depends of the shop but its still racism i love softbank
Pingback: SoftBank is Bullshit But I’m Paying Them Anyway « 51 Future()
ponta

some have said that they were able to bypass these rules by using a Japanese drivers’ license/health insurance ID

It is no wonder that people can “bypass these rule” because the rute says so.

共通申込に際しては、運転免許証等の本人確認書類が必要となります。
あらかじめご確認ください。

Everyone needs ID
Types of ID

http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/iphone/purchase/identify.html
A driver’s license
B Japanese passport
C Health Insurance card ＋　receipt from public service etc
D Health Insurance card ＋　credit card
E Health Insurance care ＋　student ID
F…..
G Alien Card + Passport
MF

So if you have your papers in order, they will sell you an expensive phone. What’s racist about that? Japan Probe has its good share of people with tin foil hats on, but this is more silly than usual.

In Europe, if your credit rating is poor, you can’t buy this toy. Since Japan doesn’t do credit ratings, how do you suggest they should seel this? I haven’t seen a single comment that seems to indicate that They Are Racist.
http://www.leblogatommy.fr トミ

france also does not do credit ratingm so dont they in Europe but talk about UK please
- ponta
  
  So what do you need in France to get iphone?
  No ID such as driver’s licence or insurance card necessary?
  BTW every foreigners who intends to stay in Japan for more than
  a year is supposed to hold national health Insurance certificate.
  So actually, the title should read–I guess—
  “Foreigners intending to stay less than a year in Japan who want an iPhone face severe limitations”
  - http://www.leblogatommy.fr トミ
    
    Just one id and a credit card thats all
    - ponta
      
      So that is roughly the same as in Japan.
      
      In Japan, according to the Soft Bank web site, if you have driver’s license, whether you are Japanese or foreigner, you don’t need a credit card.
      Is French company racist because it requires a credit card in addition to ID? and foreigners are less likely to have a credit card?
      Note Japanese without driver’s license nor national insurance certificate might complain that soft bank is discriminating against Japanese because foreigners without driver’s license and insurance certificate still have a chance to get iphone.
      
      After actually reading the Soft Bank Web site, I am not really sure whether soft bank is a racist, or some comments here reflect their Japanophobia.
Komavary

“Even Softbank doesn’t have these rules for any of their other phones, just the iPhone.”

No, they have the same rules for other phones too.

We just changed to softbank two weeks ago, tried four different shops until we found one which was helpfull enough to tell us about the third option below:

Basically there were three options:

1. Pay the phone’s price, get the “bonus” on phone bills for two years.
2. Pay double monthly rates, get the bonus for the shorter time – in this way your payment will be over in one year or so, so no need for longer visas.
3. Forget their super bargain plan (or what was it called), pay for the phone, and afterwards you’ll pay only for your bills (no monthly fee for the phone, no “bonus” reduced from your bill).

The third option was way more cheaper even when we compared to the normal two-year contract thing.
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Ana

I live in Kitakyushu and we have a really small I-Phone market. The store I went to only had two phones on the first day, and we were lucky enough to get one of them. We started the application process at noon, and were told we needed our passports, and, if we wanted to keep our numbers, we had to go do the paperwork at docomo. So, we left to do this, came back and waited and waited and waited to get approved. After four and a half hours, we were turned down for the monthly installments and told we had to pay over 80,000 yen to get the phone. The staff said they had no idea why we were turned down, and that the approval center wouldn’t tell them. Of course, we know from this site that it is because I only have six months left on my 3- year visa. It doesn’t seem to matter that I have been here 8 years, am a tenured professor at a major university, and I have a Japanese drivers license, health card and credit card. Unlike other bloggers on this site, I wasnt given the option to show these. My brother has lived here six months and was approved immediately because he just got to Japan. It is a crock.

If Softbank really has these policies on their website, they should inform their staff so that we people are told right away they will be rejected, not after waiting 4 and a half hours. What they did may not be illegal, but it is unfair and discriminatory, and I will never buy a phone from Softbank, Next day, I went and got a new Docomo phone and am really happy with it. Softbank was totally unprepared to sell the I-phone and their staff undertrained. The manager even told me I might get approved at a different store with a different person. What is that?
- ponta
  
  I am sorry that happened to you.
  I am not a fan of soft bank anyway.
  I blame soft bank for training their staff insufficiently.
  In your case if you had a driver’s license, I guess all you had to do was present it;you don’t even have to present passport, according to the website. The staff should have asked you if you had had other ID.
  Some Japanese blame the insufficient training for not employing regular employee for the economic efficiency. I have heard of a story in which when a Japanese person complained of the contract at a local shop the staff called the police, thinking he was making unreasonable demands . After checking with the headquarter of the company, it turned out the customer’s complaint was perfectly legitimate.
John

This is just silly. The only racism I can see here is the racism shown by some of the posters. Softbank is running a business and has the right to ask for what they feel is necessary to ensure they get paid for the phone that you purchase and the services that you use.

People who claim that NO foreigners that they know have every pulled a runner or that Japanese nationals are just as likely to pull a runner as a foreign resident are either lying or are incredibly naive. It is a problem that a lot of the cellphone companies here have and it should surprise no one that they have taken steps to try to stop the problem. There is a very clear list – in English – about what you need to get a new contract at Softbank – and it mirrors what is listed in the English site except for the part about needing more than 27 months on your Foreign Registration Card – IF you apply with a foreign registration card and passport – a pain but it is understandable for them to want to check that you are going to be in the country for all of two year contract when they are essentially letting you walk out the store with $800 of their merchandise without paying for it (but really people – if you have less than 27 months on your foreign registration card then why would you choose that option??? Bring in some other pieces of identification)

Also, just because some of the people working at the softbank shops have no idea what they are doing (surprise surprise – workers at a cellphone retail store that probably only get minimum wage are not rocket scientists) there is no reason to claim that the whole company is racist – that is just ridiculous logic.
John

One last thing….

Please make sure you translate the Japanese correctly if you are going to use it as the main talking point in your article. The website says 「外国人登録証明書＋外国パスポート」にてお申込される場合、以下項目をご注意ください。 Which basically says IF you are going to apply using a foreign registration card and passport then please be careful about the points listed below (then it lists the 90 day, 15 month, 27 month stuff)

It does NOT say “Bring your Gaikokujin Torokusho (Alien Card) + Passport. It seems they now require the passport too.” as you have written in your post. In fact there is nothing that says you NEED to apply using a foreign registration card or passport – the site actually provides a nice list of other documents you can use when applying for the contract.
- ponta
  
  It might be a good idea that this blog will inform foreigners of the appropriate procedure to apply for iphone.
  If you have Japanese driver’s license, all you need as ID is to present it. If you are asked more ID by any chance , tell them you have seen the SoftBank’s website and tell the staff to call the headquarter etc＊.
  
  I’ve called the Soft Bank now, and it confirmed that you don’t need to show Alien Card and passport if you bring Japanese Driver’s license or insurance certificate plus required documents.
  I recommended Soft Bank to ask foreigners if they have other IDs, she complied. And I asked if the above procedure（＊) is right, she confirmed it.
nigelboy

I find it just amazing that expats here will try to reach the sky to find racism.

Do people wonder why company has such restrictions? Maybe because due to their PAST experience, they had MANY foreigners skipped out on arrears. Just because you have no intentions of do so, maybe your colleagues/friends does.
- Darin
  
  And punishing someone based on the actions of others in a similar group is what discrimination is. I believe you’re the one reaching in this case.
  - nigelboy
    
    Darin
    
    A business entity has the right to set restrictions in order to avoid potential loss. This is sound business. Offering it everybody including those who are not credit worthy can result in potential loss which will eventually be passed on to the honest paying customers.
    
    So instead of pointing fingers at the company, maybe you should start pointing at the finger of those who skipped town.
E

I had all the proper ID, my credit card in good standing, my national health insurance card and everything else they wanted. I went there with a Japanese friend to do translating. And in the end I was still refused my Iphone 24 month plan. I was told that this refusal is for no reason. I was told that if I want an I phone with Softbank, that I would have to pay 70,000 yen up front. This is obvious racism. Fuck them!!! This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I hate Japan now. This makes me want to leave this fucked up racist country, and destroy everything Japanese in the world.
- ponta
  
  Give the specific name , location (and telephone number if possible ) of this racist shop to protest.
  And you also should post it on on Debito org http://www.debito.org/?p=1835
  They say they are working very hard to fight against this sort of racism in Japan.
  If there is no sign of improvement, and if you cannot even protest, you might just as well this country. The sooner, the better.
  Chao.
- ponta
  
  Okay, I gave the soft Bank a call.
  They say there is no practice of racism and there is no reason to discriminate against foreigners.
  (After all all they want is money)
  
  The reasons somebody is rejected, they say, might be that CIC which reviews his records on payment might have judged he was not entitled to the easy payment plan or he was behind his due for the cellphone etc.
  (Note that there are other foreigners who were accepted)
  
  They say;
  (1)If you want to know the specific reason for the rejection, you need to call the customer center while you are at the shop applying for the easy payment plan.
  (2)If you have any doubt, or you want to complain of the alleged racism , you should call the customer center.
  
  Before you jump to the conclusion, it might be a good idea to investigate carefully. Playing the race card is okay but let’s use it carefully and use common sense wisely.
E

SoftBank Customer Center (only within Japan)
(General Information) Business hours: 9:00-20:00
From SoftBank handset: 157(toll-free) – press “8” for English support
From fixed-line phone: 0088-21-2000(toll-free) – press “8” for English support

Everyone should call Softbank and demand a reason for being refused the 24 month plan that they are applying for.

If a business is open to the public and if a customer is refused business, then a reason for refusal needs to be stated. Any company that refuses business to customers with and refuses for give a reason for refusal of business is discriminating against customers, because they are choosing to do business with some and choosing not to do business with others with no reason given. I checked the books and this is actually illegal in Japan. Softbank is engaging in illegal activity. To sue a company in Japan actually accomplishes very little, because the legal system is backwards. However, anyone refused a plan with Softbank and denied a reason for it has a case in court.

If enough of us call Softbank complaining, and if each of us makes an attempt to contact the media about it. This will hurt the company and bring them down. It is quite obvious that they are discriminating which customers they do business with on a basis that they refuse to disclose and in actuality as we all know, it is racism.

I want to know the reason why I was refused the 24 month plan even though I had all the proper documents. They won’t tell me the reason. This indicates to me that the method in which they use to evaluate customers they do business with is an illegal and secret one. What kind of business will not tell you the reason that they refuse business to you? A business with terrible customer service. This needs to be brought to the medias attention that Softbank refuses customers without giving reasons.
http://www.lazysupper.com lazysupper

I’m an AU customer. I went to “try” to get an iPhone today. I’ve got 25 months left on my work visa. Gaijin card good until 2012. But no national healthcare card. And no drivers license. Thus… no iPhone. Unless I drop 80,640 yen of course.

And of course I was pissed. I’ve got 25 months on my visa, but they require 27 for a 24-month contract. She explained the math to me: iPhone payments don’t start until the 3rd month. Thus, 27 months are required to ensure full compliance.

What I don’t get though is that they will turn down someone who has been here for 5 years, or someone who’s been here for 10 years, or someon who has a Japanese spouse and children, just because they don’t have 27 months left on their visa. (And they have private health care and don’t drive.)

BUT they’ll hand one over in a nanosecond to some fresh uni grad who’s just gotten off the plane to do the “experience Japan” thing while they teach English for a year. And have a 95% chance of booking off in the next 12 months or less. All because they just got their 3-year visa yesterday.

AND in the end, everyone actually ends up paying the same for the bloody thing: 34,560 yen:

IF you pay 80,640 up front and they take 1,920 off your bill every month. If you’re one of the “lucky ones” to qualify for the installment plan, they add 1,440 to your bill. They do this for 24 months, and in the end both have paid the same. If you quit the installment plan they charge you “remaining months x 3,360”. If you quit early after up front payment you (naturally) don’t pay anything. It just sucks coughing up 80,640 yen at once for a stupid (albeit awesome) mobile phone.

Give me the bloody phone for 34,560 and screw the “reduce my bill” or “add to my bill” crap. You’d think Softbank would be happy to be taking customers away from the competition. Hell, in Canada phone companies GIVE us INCENTIVES for switching companies.
- fh
  
  I thought the iPhone was the incentive for switching carriers. But I wouldn’t blame SoftBank (entirely). It sounds like Apple is forcing the broken North American GSM subsidy business model into other markets. Quite unfortunate.
http://rwldnpp.com Richard

Yes!!!

Now this is exactly my thinking, why the hell do they refuse me? I want to know! If it’s my relative lack of time in Japan then fine, I have a reason. But I don’t know, I have a job, credit cards, gaijin card, visa. I applied using health insurance and government documents which were fine but still a big no to the 24 month plan. I cannot justify $800 for a phone, it’s crazy. It’s also not only the iphone, I got the same treatment for the xseries phones (my backup choice was an n95).

It’s bonkers. I’m not sure if it’s racism(this happens to Japanese customers to) but it’s certainly no way to treat customers!

Here’s an idea; Why not pay an upfront, discounted cost of 32,000 yen? That’s about what we pay after the two years of discounts (which I severely doubt the iphone will last through!!)

I hope your reading this softbank, you’ve pissed alot of people with this and people will surely start voting with their wallets soon.

ps Why don’t any of the other carriers sell a half decent nokia?
Pingback: Japanophobia | ¡Un mexicano en Japón!()
the dude

Get one of your Japanese girlfriends to get you one. Put it in her name. Manage the situation from there.

But, Sofbank is not managing their situation very well. Among Japanese & Foreign residents I’ve heard many compaints about their pricing models & restrictions.

Foreigners who want an iPhone face severe limitations

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