Best VPN for Japan: Stay Private and Unblock Streaming Apps

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Mae has always been fascinated with technology. From teaching her parents to send their first email to writing about antivirus software and VPNs. She has always enjoyed learning about the latest cybersecurity and teaching others how to stay safe online.

Traveling can be an overwhelming experience. Protecting your privacy online may slip your mind when heading to an unfamiliar place. If you're visiting Japan -- or any country, for that matter -- it's a good idea to choose a virtual private network that will use encryption to keep your sensitive data safe and protect your privacy when online.

You could be commuting for a personal vacation or business trip, but either way, using a VPN may be necessary access region-restricted content overseas and remain private. This specifically applies when in Japan, considering the country's intimate intelligence-sharing relationship with the Five Eyes Alliance. When using a VPN while traveling, you'll be able to view US-based news sites and TV shows or movies in Japan that would've otherwise been blocked due to geographic restrictions. The guide below lists the top VPN providers for Japan, which have all been thoroughly tested by the experts at CNET to find the best one to use before your travels.

IPVanish

IPVanish is a simple-to-use VPN with great streaming speeds and a decent security suite. (IPVanish is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis). It's the perfect VPN for beginners due to its simple user interface and provides unlimited connections. Unfortunately, it's not the best VPN for Japan due to its inconsistent speeds. Its speed testing results were all over the place, making it hard to stream or use the internet. Plus, its Quick Connect button sometimes didn't do what it advertised. Although we tested this only in the US, considering its differing speed results outside the country, I don't recommend trying it in Japan.

Read our IPVanish review.

Private Internet Access (PIA)

PIA is a fantastic VPN with high-end security features, an independently audited no-logs policy and affordable rates that can compete with Surfshark. Despite all it has to offer, we don't recommend using it in Japan due to its limited Japanese server network (only servers in Tokyo) and high internet speed loss. PIA delivered middling connectivity with an average internet download speed loss of 49%.

Read our PIA review.

Privacy is among our top considerations when we test out each VPN, but we also look at results for speeds, streaming, value and server network size when determining which VPN is the best for Japan. Besides looking out for top-notch encryptions and security features, we always read and research each VPN's privacy policy. Some VPNs intentionally save your data to sell to third parties, so we look for privacy-friendly elements like a strict no-logs policy (even if they're difficult to prove). On top of that, when a VPN has been independently audited, it shows a proven track record that they hold their word.

Equally crucial to security features is the server network, with a decent number of US (so you won't have any issues accessing home content abroad) and Japanese servers (to connect to local news and search results). While traveling, other key benefits like speed and streaming capabilities are high on our list, so we can test how capable each VPN is at unblocking and streaming content when you're outside the US. Note that speed test numbers are based on US testing but should still be representative of speeds you'll see elsewhere.

There are hundreds of VPNs on the market, so we used these key factors to test and determine which VPN will be the best overall in Japan.

Privacy:

The best VPNs for privacy will have top security features like 256-bit encryption, a kill switch and a no-logs policy to ensure your data stays safe in Japan.

Servers: 

We searched through VPNs with a vast server selection (with dozens of locations) to get the best selection of connections. Additionally, we also wanted the largest Japanese and US server networks as well.

Streaming capabilities:

Finding a VPN with strong geo-unblocking capabilities is essential to stream all your favorite content while traveling in Japan. We've tested the best VPN for streaming specifically for those results.

Speed:

Fast speeds are important as every VPN will always slow down your internet connection. Finding a fast VPN (like NordVPN) will allow you to stream in UHD and use the internet without any slowdown. 

Price:

We compared the price with the number of security features and benefits we got from each VPN, ensuring each one had the best value. VPNs with a discounted annual plan or a money-back guarantee are the best option, but sometimes, a cheap VPN will work well in Japan.

You only need a VPN with Japanese servers to get a Japanese IP address. Whether you're in the US, Japan or another location, it doesn't matter as long as your VPN can connect to a Japanese server. Simply download a VPN (I recommend ExpressVPN as CNET's top VPN for Japan), choose a Japanese server and press the connect button to get a Japan IP address.

Yes, setting up and using a VPN is completely legal in Japan. The country has no laws against using a VPN for your online privacy, but it has a close intelligence-sharing relationship with the Five Eyes Alliance. It is unofficially considered a "sixth eye." And remember that you'll still get in trouble if you're using a VPN for illegal activities. For example, Japan has some of the strictest file-sharing copyrighted material laws. Many VPNs support torrenting, which sometimes includes file-sharing copyrighted content, which could get you in legal trouble if you do so in the country.

A free VPN will work in Japan, but I only recommend using Proton VPN as it's the only reliable free VPN we've tested. Most free VPNs lack many security features compared with a premium one, have a limited server list or usually have data restrictions that limit how much you can use the VPN. More importantly, many free VPNs are just unsafe to use, as they'll sell your data to make money.