How to send a fax to Japan

Why fax to Japan?

Japan has one of the highest rates of fax usage in the world. Businesses, government offices, hospitals, hotels, and even many small shops still rely on fax for orders, reservations, applications, and official correspondence. In many Japanese organisations, fax is considered more formal and more reliable than email. Particularly for documents that carry a signature or a company seal (hanko).

If you are doing business with a Japanese company, applying to a Japanese institution, or communicating with a government office in Japan, having a fax number on their contact page is the norm, not the exception.

What you need

To send a fax to Japan with unofax you need four things:

• Your document: PDF, Word, image, or any supported file. PDF gives the best results.
• The Japanese fax number: Japan's country code is +81. A typical number looks like +81 3 1234 5678 (Tokyo) or +81 6 1234 5678 (Osaka). Drop the leading zero from the area code when dialling internationally.
• A payment method: credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
• Your email address: for delivery confirmation and proof of receipt

No account, no subscription, no fax machine required.

Step by step

Sending a fax to Japan with unofax takes about two minutes:

• Upload your document: drag and drop or tap to select your file.
• Select Japan and enter the fax number: choose Japan from the country list. Type the number without the leading zero (e.g. 3 1234 5678 for Tokyo). unofax adds the +81 country code automatically.
• Enter your email: provide your email address for delivery confirmation and proof of receipt.
• Preview: check each page in the preview. Add a free cover sheet if the recipient requires one.
• Pay: the per-page price is shown upfront. Pay with card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
• Done: your fax is sent immediately. You receive a delivery confirmation once the receiving machine acknowledges receipt.

Tips for faxing to Japan

A few things to keep in mind when faxing to Japan:

• Business hours: Japanese offices typically operate 09:00 – 17:00 JST (UTC+9). Japan does not observe daylight saving time, so the offset is the same year-round. Faxes sent outside business hours will queue at the receiving machine.
• Include both English and Japanese if possible: if you are communicating with a Japanese company that may not have English-speaking staff, including a brief Japanese summary or translation on your cover sheet can help your fax reach the right person faster.
• Use a cover sheet: Japanese business etiquette places importance on clear identification. A cover sheet with the recipient's name, department, and your own details is considered good form and helps the receiving office route your fax.
• Double-check the number format: Japanese fax numbers vary in length depending on the region. Tokyo (03) and Osaka (06) have 8-digit local numbers; mobile-style and toll-free numbers have different formats. Enter the number exactly as provided by the recipient.
• Toll-free numbers supported: unofax can send to Japanese toll-free fax numbers. Supported prefixes:
  • 0120: Free Dial (フリーダイヤル)
  • 0800: Free Access (フリーアクセス)
  Enter the number without the leading zero (e.g. 120 123 456 or 800 123 4567). unofax adds the +81 country code automatically.

Common questions

Quick answers about faxing to Japan:

• Can I fax to any Japanese number? — Yes. unofax can deliver to any active fax line in Japan, including landline-connected fax machines, multi-function printers, and internet fax services.
• How long does delivery take? — Most faxes are delivered within one to three minutes. Delivery time depends on the number of pages and the speed of the receiving machine.
• Can I send documents in Japanese? — Absolutely. unofax transmits your document as-is. If your PDF or image contains Japanese text, it will be faxed exactly as it appears. The system does not alter or translate your content.
• How much does it cost to fax to Japan? — Faxing to Japan with unofax costs $0.29 AUD per page (≈¥28). The price in your local currency is displayed before you pay. There are no subscriptions, setup fees, or hidden charges. You only pay for the pages you send.