VPN in Japan: home TV limits, public Wi-Fi, and NordVPN, ExpressVPN and MillenVPN prices compared (2026)

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This page is general information from the companies’ and services’ own pages. It is not legal advice. For your own account, read the terms of the streaming service you use.

A VPN can make your phone or laptop in Japan connect through a server in another country, but it does not change what your streaming service allows. Netflix’s terms say you watch mainly in the country where you set up your account, and BBC iPlayer says programmes cannot be streamed outside the UK and will not play if it detects a VPN. This guide compares the prices and refund rules of three VPNs you can buy in Japan, and lists ways to watch English programmes here without one.

In short

From the lowest monthly price on a long plan: MillenVPN ¥396 (tax included), ExpressVPN ¥480 and NordVPN ¥500. All three are first-term prices that go up at renewal.
All three have a 30-day money-back guarantee, but MillenVPN’s covers only its 1- and 2-year plans, not its 7- to 30-day plans.
Streaming services can block VPN connections. BBC iPlayer and Netflix both say so on their help pages.
Without a VPN: Netflix in Japan has its own audio and subtitle options, and NHK WORLD-JAPAN has a free app with English news.

Checked with official pages on October 27, 2026.

VPN prices in Japan: NordVPN, ExpressVPN and MillenVPN compared

Tap a name to jump to its section. Prices are for the cheapest plan, paid in one lump sum for the longest term.

VPN	From (per month)	Money-back
NordVPN	¥500 (27-month plan)	30 days, new subscriptions
ExpressVPN	¥480 (28-month plan)	30 days, new users
MillenVPN	¥396 incl. tax (2-year plan)	30 days, 1- and 2-year plans

Devices and server locations are in each section; each company counts its servers in its own way. ExpressVPN’s yen prices are before consumption tax, which is added at checkout where it applies; MillenVPN’s include tax. NordVPN’s checkout page adds tax for the buyer’s country and says prices are shown in yen but payments are processed in US dollars. NordVPN’s and MillenVPN’s guarantees do not cover renewals.

1. Can a VPN let me watch my home TV from Japan?

Depends on the service

A VPN sends your connection through a server in the country you choose, so websites see that country’s address instead of a Japanese one. Whether a streaming service lets you watch is a separate question, set by that service’s own rules.

Netflix’s Terms of Use say you can watch “primarily within the country in which you have established your account”, and that the shows on offer vary by location. Its help page on the message “You seem to be using a VPN or proxy” says VPNs are not supported for live events or on ad-supported plans. Another Netflix help page says that through a VPN you may be shown only the titles Netflix licenses worldwide, so a VPN does not bring back your home catalogue.

BBC iPlayer’s help page says programmes cannot be streamed outside the UK, even on holiday, because of rights agreements. It also says a programme will not play if iPlayer detects that you might be using a VPN or proxy.

Important

Using a VPN to reach a service from outside its area can break that service’s terms, and the service can stop the video from playing. MillenVPN’s own pages say it does not guarantee access to every streaming service, and that a service may stop working after the service changes its systems.

2. Watching English programmes in Japan without a VPN

Depends on the service

If you already pay for Netflix, the Japanese catalogue is available to you here. Netflix’s help page on using the service outside your home country says the titles, and the audio and subtitle options, vary by country. So the English audio or subtitles you had at home may differ in Japan; you check title by title in the app.

NHK WORLD-JAPAN is the international service of NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster. Its free app has English news, live streaming and 7-day catch-up of its programmes, plus earthquake, tsunami and weather warning notifications. The app is free; data charges are yours.

3. The three VPNs

NordVPN

NordVPN’s server page lists thousands of servers in 225 locations. One account covers up to 10 devices at the same time. The 30-day money-back guarantee is for new subscriptions, counted from the first purchase. Its help centre is available in English and Japanese.

On NordVPN’s checkout page in yen, the Basic plan was ¥13,500 for the first 27 months (¥500 a month), shown as a sale price. The same page gave the renewal price as ¥21,960 a year, and said payments are processed in US dollars and a payment provider’s fee may apply. The pricing page shows prices in the currency of the country you open it from. A dedicated IP address, which NordVPN says helps you reach banks and websites without bot checks, was an add-on at ¥530 a month. You can compare the plans on the NordVPN (PR) site.

Price from	¥500 a month (Basic, ¥13,500 for 27 months)
Renewal	¥21,960 a year (Basic)
Money-back	30 days, new subscriptions
Devices	Up to 10 at once
Servers	225 locations
Help pages	English, Japanese and other languages
Dedicated IP	Add-on, ¥530 a month

↑ Back to the comparison table

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN lists servers in 113 countries on all three of its plans. The plans differ in how many devices you can connect at once: 10 on Basic, 12 on Advanced and 14 on Express Pro. The 30-day money-back guarantee is for new users. Its support page offers live chat 24 hours a day, and the support centre has a Japanese version.

On the Japanese order page, Basic was ¥13,440 for the first 28 months (¥480 a month), then renews at ¥14,999 a year. Advanced was ¥19,040 for 28 months, then ¥18,999 a year, and Express Pro ¥33,040, then ¥28,999 a year. A dedicated IP is an add-on on Basic and Advanced and included in Express Pro. The plans are on the ExpressVPN (PR) site.

Price from	¥480 a month (Basic, ¥13,440 for 28 months, before tax)
Renewal	¥14,999 a year (Basic)
Money-back	30 days, new users
Devices	10, 12 or 14 by plan
Servers	113 countries
Help	24-hour live chat; support centre in Japanese

↑ Back to the comparison table

MillenVPN

MillenVPN is run by AzPocket, Inc., the Japanese company behind the rental server service mixhost. The company says it follows Japanese law and has filed a notification with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Its website and help centre have English versions.

MillenVPN sells short plans for a trip: 7 days for ¥638, 15 days for ¥1,078 and 30 days for ¥1,738 (tax included). These short plans have no money-back guarantee. The 2-year plan is ¥396 a month including tax and the 1-year plan ¥594; both renew at ¥950 a month plus tax. There is no limit on devices, within its fair use policy. Servers are in more than 140 locations, some of them virtual locations. A static IP option costs ¥396 a month (tax included), with Tokyo, London, Paris, Frankfurt and Kansas City to choose from. You can pay by card; PayPal and bank transfer are for yen payments only.

Price from	¥396 a month incl. tax (2-year plan)
Short plans	7 days ¥638, 15 days ¥1,078, 30 days ¥1,738
Renewal	¥950 a month plus tax
Money-back	30 days, 1- and 2-year plans only
Devices	No limit (fair use policy)
Servers	140+ locations
Website	Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean

↑ Back to the comparison table

4. Public Wi-Fi in Japan: what the government advises

Official rule (Japan)

Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) says that without security measures, people on wireless networks can have their communications seen by others. Its 2025 manual for public Wi-Fi users gives three points: check the access point before you connect, make sure the site uses HTTPS at the correct URL, and watch the file-sharing settings on your computer.

A VPN app adds another layer: it encrypts the connection between your device and the VPN server. MillenVPN, for example, says it uses 256-bit AES encryption. The VPN company can then see where your traffic goes, so the next section matters.

5. Before you pay: free VPN apps and refunds

Depends on the provider

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has listed four things to check before you use a VPN app: research the app before you get it, review the permissions it asks for, make sure it encrypts your information, and check whether it shares your information with third parties. These apply to free and paid apps alike.

For refunds, the rules differ. NordVPN’s guarantee covers only the first purchase of a new subscription, and NordVPN says it cannot refund payments made through the Apple App Store; you ask Apple. ExpressVPN’s guarantee is for new users. MillenVPN’s covers the first 30 days (Japan time) of a 1- or 2-year plan bought on its official website, and not renewals. If you paid MillenVPN by bank transfer, you must contact support after cancelling, and a ¥330 refund fee applies.

Common questions

Can I use one subscription on my phone, laptop and TV?

The device limit is how many you can connect at once: 10 for NordVPN, 10 to 14 for ExpressVPN by plan, and no limit for MillenVPN within its fair use policy. A TV also needs a supported app. MillenVPN’s app runs on Android TV and Fire TV, but not on Apple TV, Google TV, smart TVs without Android TV, or game consoles, and Amazon Appstore limits can stop it installing on some Fire OS devices.