Japan VPN: Get a Japanese IP Address from Australia
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A Japan VPN does one of two jobs. At home it gives you a Japanese IP address for anime, Japanese catalogues and games. In Niseko or Tokyo, it connects you back to Australia so your banking and streaming keep working.
VPNs with servers in Japan
| VPN | Servers in Japan | Lowest price | Our speed test from Melbourne |
|---|---|---|---|
 PrivateVPN | Listed | US$2.00 (about A$2.85) a month | – |
 IPVanish | Listed: 2 cities | US$2.19 (about A$3.12) a month Visit IPVanish → | – |
 CyberGhost | Listed | A$3.27 a month | – |
 Surfshark | Listed | A$3.49 a month Visit Surfshark → | 79% of our line speed (October 2026) |
 NordVPN | Listed: 2 cities | A$4.79 a month Visit NordVPN → | 83% of our line speed (October 2026) |
 Proton VPN | Listed: 2 cities, 315 servers | US$3.49 (about A$4.97) a month Visit Proton VPN → | 81% of our line speed (October 2026) |
 ExpressVPN | Listed | US$4.99 (about A$7.10) a month Visit ExpressVPN → | – |
 Astrill VPN | Listed | US$12.50 (about A$17.79) a month | – |
Server locations read from each provider's own server page between 19 Oct 2026 and 2 Nov 2026; "listed" means the provider names Japan as a location, which can be a physical or a virtual server. Speed is the share of our Melbourne line's download speed kept on a server in Japan, against the same line with the VPN off, on the date shown; line speeds differ between test years, so the share is the fair comparison. Ordered by lowest monthly price in Australian dollars.
Japan is well served, and the table shows who lists more than one Japanese city. It is also close by internet standards, which you feel in ping: the round trip that decides how laggy a game or video call feels.
NordVPN shows the difference. From Melbourne:
- Ping to Japan: 127 to 189 ms (tested October 2026).
- Ping to the UK: 280 to 322 ms (tested October 2026).
- Speed kept on a Tokyo server: 83% of our download speed (October 2026).
At home: getting a Japanese IP address
- Streaming catalogues. Japanese versions of the big streaming services carry a different line-up, anime in particular. Which VPN works with which service changes over time, and using one can break the service’s terms.
- Japanese sites and games. Some online stores, ticketing sites and games accept connections only from Japan.
- Language practice. Local television and news services are often limited to Japanese addresses.
Choose a provider with a refund period and test the service you care about in the first week.
Which VPNs work with Japanese streaming?
One VPN played Netflix Japan for us, and two played ABEMA, in our October 2026 tests from Melbourne.
- Netflix Japan: played on Mysterium VPN, whose Tokyo server ran Vivant (24 Oct). Every other VPN we tried while signed in got Netflix’s VPN or proxy message, NordVPN most recently (25 Oct).
- ABEMA live news: played on Intego VPN (22 Oct) and NordVPN (25 Oct), which ABEMA had refused on 14 October. It refused Mysterium VPN and AdGuard VPN (24 Oct).
- TVer: has not played for us. On most VPNs the site loaded with no region block, but pressing play opened a required viewer survey we did not fill in. On PureVPN (21 Oct) the player stopped with a communication error.
| VPN |  Netflix Japan |  ABEMA |  TVer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surfshark | Blocked tested 16 Oct 2026 | Site loaded; playback not tested tested 16 Oct 2026 | Site loaded; playback not tested tested 16 Oct 2026 |
| NordVPN | Blocked tested 25 Oct 2026 | Played tested 25 Oct 2026 | Site loaded; playback not tested tested 14 Oct 2026 |
| Proton VPN | Blocked tested 21 Oct 2026 | Not tested tested 21 Oct 2026 | Site loaded; playback not tested tested 21 Oct 2026 |
 PrivadoVPN | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
 PureVPN | Blocked tested 21 Oct 2026 | Not tested tested 21 Oct 2026 | Blocked tested 21 Oct 2026 |
 Intego VPN | Blocked tested 22 Oct 2026 | Played tested 22 Oct 2026 | Site loaded; playback not tested tested 22 Oct 2026 |
| CyberGhost | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
| IPVanish | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
| PrivateVPN | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
| ExpressVPN | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
 Windscribe | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
 hide.me | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
 IVPN | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
 Mozilla VPN | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
 Mullvad VPN | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
| Astrill VPN | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
 AdGuard VPN | Blocked tested 24 Oct 2026 | Blocked tested 24 Oct 2026 | Site loaded; playback not tested tested 24 Oct 2026 |
 Mysterium VPN | Played tested 24 Oct 2026 | Blocked tested 24 Oct 2026 | Site loaded; playback not tested tested 24 Oct 2026 |
 Private Internet Access | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
Our own results from Melbourne, with the date we tried. "Site loaded" means the service's local site opened through the VPN but we did not play anything (usually no account). Results from different years come from different test rounds.
Tested on an account Surfshark gave us free of charge (16–25 Oct 2026). Tested on an account NordVPN gave us free of charge (14–25 Oct 2026). Tested on an account Proton VPN gave us free of charge (17–21 Oct 2026). Tested on an account PureVPN gave us free of charge (21 Oct 2026). Tested on an account Intego VPN gave us free of charge (22 Oct 2026). Tested on an account AdGuard VPN gave us free of charge (24 Oct 2026). Tested on an account Mysterium VPN gave us free of charge (24 Oct 2026).
Can you use a VPN in Japan?
Yes. VPNs are legal in Japan and common there. On a trip you will mostly want an Australian server, so banking, streaming and sport behave as if you were home. The table shows the Australian cities each provider names on its server pages.
| VPN | Lowest monthly price | Renewal price | Money-back | Countries | Devices | Australian cities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Surfshark | A$3.49 27 months, A$94.23 upfront | – | 30 days | 100 | Unlimited | 5 Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney | Visit Surfshark |
| 2NordVPN | A$4.79 27 months, A$129.33 upfront | A$187.08 per year | 30 days | 150 | 10 | 5 Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney | Black Friday deal ends soonVisit NordVPN |
| 3Proton VPN | US$3.49 (about A$4.97) 2 years, US$83.76 upfront | US$83.88 per year | 30 days | 149 | 10 | 5 (cities not named on its site) | Partner offerVisit Proton VPN |
| 4CyberGhost | A$3.27 26 months, A$85.02 upfront | A$85.02 per year | 45 days | 100 | 7 | 3 Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney | CyberGhost review |
| 5IPVanish | US$2.19 (about A$3.12) 2 years, US$52.56 upfront | – | 30 days | – | Unlimited | 5 Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney | Visit IPVanish |
| 6PrivateVPN | US$2.00 (about A$2.85) 3 years, US$72.00 upfront | US$72.00 per year | 30 days | 63 | 10 | 4 Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney | PrivateVPN review |
| 7ExpressVPN | US$4.99 (about A$7.10) 15 months, US$74.85 upfront | US$99.95 per year | 30 days | 113 | 10–14 | 5 Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney | Visit ExpressVPN |
| 8Astrill VPN | US$12.50 (about A$17.79) 2 years, US$300.00 upfront | US$300.00 per 2 years | – | 56 | 5 | – | Astrill VPN review |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
– means we do not have that detail yet. Prices shown in US$ are published in that currency; the Australian-dollar figure is approximate, converted at the European Central Bank euro reference rates for 30 Oct 2026 (US$1 = A$1.424).
A dash means we have no Australian city on record for that provider, so check its site before you go.
- Install and sign in before you leave. A login problem is much easier to sort out at home.
- Use it on hotel, airport and train Wi-Fi. Japan has free, open Wi-Fi nearly everywhere, which is exactly where a VPN earns its keep.
For footy while you are away, see watching AFL and NRL overseas.
What to look for
- Servers in more than one Japanese city, so you have a second option if one is busy.
- Australian servers in more than one city, for the trip.
- Enough devices. Phone, laptop and tablet add up quickly on holiday.
FAQ
Is a Japan VPN legal?
Yes, in both Australia and Japan. See are VPNs legal in Australia?
Which VPN works with Netflix Japan?
In our tests, only Mysterium VPN, in October 2026. Every other VPN we tried got the proxy message.
Is there a free Japan VPN?
Only if Japan is on the free plan’s country list, so check it first. See best free VPN in Australia for what each plan includes.
Will a VPN slow down my internet in Japan?
A little: connecting back to Australia adds distance. For browsing and streaming it is rarely a problem.