Hi,
does anyone know how to get/use a cellphone in Japan that will not be too expensive. I already know my American phone will not work there. Do they have throw-away cells or something? Thanks.

I don't know the answer to your question. I think maybe you should have posted this on the Asian forum. You might get more answers there.

My daughter has just arrived in Japan. Before she went she had been told that in Narita airport, there are cellphones available for rent. Evidently she didn't get one because she has been emailing me.

Cellphones are not expensive in Japan.
Not sure about throw aways but everyone has one.

You're definitely not in the right forum for this, but I do know that it's very easy to rent a phone at the airport...

I have used this site with very good results

http://www.rentafonejapan.com/

Do not use the pupuru.com site suggested by some as I have also tried them and their phones and service are unreliable imho. The phone they rented us would not work outside city limits and the English directions enclosed were confusing and not put together well.

Aloha!

Thanks HT, bookmarking the rentafonejapan site for future reference. Aloha.

We had same question regarding northern Spain and our dtrs cell phone. (Verizon). We called Verizon and got a good education on international use of cell phones. There are 2 issues - the instrument and the service. It turns out her phone would have worked in most of the world, but Verizon does not have service or affiliated service everywhere.

They referred us to Verizon international service desk and in about 3 minutes we had arranged for us to be shipped a compatible phone with AT&T service, all billed thru Verizon.

While I know you asked Japan and this was Spain, we were told all major cell phone carriers have similar type arrangements for most of the world - start by calling your cell phone carrier and see what they say about service and renting a phone.

The reason you can't use your GSM phone in Japan is because Japan uses PDC technology, see below

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2223.html

http://euc.jp/misc/cellphones.en.html

Aloha!