To get Japanese apps on an iPhone or iPad, you need to use the Japanese App Store. You can switch your Apple Account’s country to Japan in Settings > [your name] > Media & Purchases > View Account > Country/Region, or create a separate Apple Account set to Japan and sign in with it only for the App Store. Either way, Apple requires a billing address in Japan, and you’ll need a payment method from Japan, such as a Japanese App Store & iTunes gift card, to buy anything.
Before changing anything, check whether the app is already available in your country. Many popular Japanese games and apps have global versions. Below are both methods, what you’ll lose if you switch, and how to switch back.
Which method is best?
| Change your country | Second Apple Account | |
|---|---|---|
| Keeps iCloud, photos, and messages | Yes | Yes (sign in only for Media & Purchases) |
| Need to cancel subscriptions first | Yes | No |
| Need to spend your store balance | Yes | No |
| Access your home-country apps and purchases | Not until you switch back | Yes, by switching accounts |
| Best for | Moving to Japan long term | Downloading a few Japan-only apps |
Method 1: Use a second Apple Account for the Japanese App Store
- Create a new Apple Account at account.apple.com using an email address not tied to another Apple Account. Choose Japan as the country or region.
- On your iPhone, open Settings > [your name] > Media & Purchases > Sign Out. This only signs you out of the App Store and media, not iCloud.
- Open the App Store, tap your profile picture, and sign in with the Japan account.
- Download the apps you want. Free apps don’t need a payment method in many cases; paid apps need Japanese payment.
- Sign back in with your main account in Media & Purchases when you’re done.
Apps you downloaded keep working. To update them, you may be asked to sign in with the Japan account. Keep your password handy.
Method 2: Change your Apple Account country to Japan
Before you switch
- Cancel or let expire any active subscriptions, including Apple Music, Apple TV+, and iCloud+ if billed in another country. Some may need to finish their billing period.
- Spend any remaining store credit. If the balance is less than the cost of one item, you may need to contact Apple Support.
- Wait for pending refunds, pre-orders, and season passes to finish.
- Leave Family Sharing if required. Family members generally must be in the same country.
- Have a valid Japanese billing address and payment method ready.
Steps
- Open Settings and tap your name.
- Tap Media & Purchases > View Account, and sign in if asked.
- Tap Country/Region > Change Country or Region.
- Select Japan and tap Next.
- Read and agree to the Terms and Conditions.
- Choose a payment method and enter your billing address in Japan, then tap Next.
Apple’s store policies expect your account country to match where you live. If you’re not in Japan, Method 1 is usually the safer choice.
How to pay in the Japanese App Store
- Japanese App Store & iTunes gift cards are the easiest option if you don’t have a Japanese card. Buy them only from reputable sellers, and redeem them in the App Store under your profile > Redeem Gift Card or Code.
- A credit or debit card issued in Japan. Cards from other countries usually won’t work.
- Carrier billing or PayPay, if you have a Japanese mobile plan or account, where supported.
Using Japanese apps
- Many apps are only in Japanese. Use Live Text or the Translate app to understand menus: take a screenshot, open it in Photos, and tap the text icon.
- Add a Japanese keyboard in Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboards > Add New Keyboard.
- Some apps also check your location or phone number and may not work outside Japan.
How to switch back
If you changed your country, repeat Method 2 and choose your home country. If you used a second account, sign out of it in Media & Purchases and sign in with your main account.
Frequently asked questions
Will I lose my apps if I change my App Store country?
Apps already on your iPhone stay. Some may not update or be re-downloadable until you switch back, if they aren’t available in Japan.
Can I change my country if I have an Apple Music subscription?
Not until it’s canceled and the current period ends.
Is using another country’s App Store allowed?
Apple’s terms say your account’s country should match your residence and billing address. Having an account for each country you actually live in is common, but using false details can lead to account problems.
Can I download Japanese apps on iPad too?
Yes. The steps are identical on iPad.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.