Optus roaming in Japan: Plans, pricing, and alternatives
You can use Optus roaming in Japan to stay connected during your travels. Learn more about Optus roaming, including the plans, pricing, and alternatives.
Optus is already known as one of the top cell service providers in Australia. And if you’re an Optus customer planning a trip to Japan, you’ll be glad to know it can work pretty well there too. Follow along to learn all about Optus roaming in Japan, including plans and pricing.
If none of the options feel like the right fit for you by the end, consider Holafly, an international eSIM provider made for travellers, by travellers.

Does Optus roaming work in Japan?
Yes, Optus roaming works in Japan, allowing you to use your regular Optus eSIM or SIM card when you travel. There are multiple Optus international roaming options for postpaid users as well as a prepaid roaming plan, meaning that you can stay connected, no matter which plan you use.
Whenever you use roaming in Japan, you’ll automatically be connected to a local network. As a result, you’ll be able to enjoy the same connection quality as the locals without having to buy a SIM card in Japan.
Disclaimer: The data in this article is accurate as of June 6, 2025 and is subject to change.
Optus roaming in Japan: Plans and pricing
Your roaming options for Japan with Optus depend on your plan:
- Optus Daily Roaming: Only available with Optus Choice Plus postpaid plans. Includes 5 GB of data as well as unlimited calls and messages for $5/day.
- Optus Roaming Pass: Available with all postpaid plans except Choice Plus. Includes 1GB of data as well as unlimited calls and messages for $10/day.
- Standard Roaming Rates: Charged $1.50/minute for calls, $0.50 per SMS message, and $1.00 per MB of data used. Applies if you don’t have Optus Daily Roaming or a Roaming Pass.
- Prepaid Roaming Add-Ons: $5 for 1 GB of data, 100 minutes, and 100 texts for 1 day or $35 for 7 GB of data, 700 minutes, and 700 texts for 7 days. Available with Optus Flex Plus prepaid plans.
Optus will send you usage alerts, letting you know when you’re getting close to using up your data limit. If you do go over the limit:
- Daily Roaming users will be charged an additional $5 for 5 GB of data
- Roaming Pass users will be charged $10 for 1 GB.
Any unused data doesn’t transfer to the next day, as the limit resets after 24 hours of use.
For postpaid plans, Daily Roaming or Roaming Pass is activated by default, and you will be charged the fixed fee whenever you use data, make calls, or send texts abroad.
That said, you should still check if Daily Roaming or Roaming Pass is active before your trip. You can do so by logging into your account on the Optus app and checking the international roaming settings. If no roaming plan is active, you’ll be charged Optus’ standard roaming rates instead.
How to get Optus roaming in Japan
The process of getting an Optus roaming plan in Japan also depends on the plan you have and the roaming option you want to choose:
- Optus Daily Roaming is active by default on all Optus Choice Plus plans. If you want to stop or pause your roaming usage, you can put your phone into airplane mode or deactivate your SIM or eSIM via your phone’s settings.
- To activate the Optus Roaming Pass, go to the Optus App on your phone and check if Roaming is turned on in the International Roaming Settings section. If it is, you’ll automatically be charged for a roaming pass whenever you use roaming abroad.
- For standard roaming rates, simply turn off Roaming Pass in the International Roaming Settings on the Optus app.
- On prepaid plans, you can buy a prepaid add-on via the Optus app or the Optus website.
No matter which option you choose, you’ll also need to make sure to turn on data roaming on your phone’s settings. Otherwise, neither roaming plan will work.
Stay connected in Japan with Holafly
Looking for other options for staying connected in Japan? Holafly might just be the pick of the bunch for you. All Holafly eSIM plans include unlimited data and 24/7 customer support. Simply pick up your eSIM for Japan and enjoy unlimited use of translation apps, video calls, and social media for sharing snaps of your holiday.
Holafly plans for Japan start at $10 AUD/day, and you get to enjoy unlimited data while Optus Roaming Pass only includes 1 GB for the same price. On top of that, the price goes down as plan duration increases, and you can get your Holafly eSIM as cheap as $2/day if you go for a longer validity period.
Planning to travel the world for a while longer? Holafly Connect might be an even better option for you. It’s a pay-monthly eSIM subscription that offers coverage in 170+ destinations worldwide with a single plan. The prices range from US$39.90 to US$64.90/month ($61.50 to $100 AUD), with plans ranging from 10 GB to unlimited data.