Odd question but long story short my wife (Japanese citizen) and I are going to america soon and since she needs a new phone I was suggesting we get it from America while we’re there. She said its illegal for a Japanese person to buy a phone from America and bring it back to Japan (I’m guessing illegal as in, getting your phone confiscated)…is that true?
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Sounds like something that isn’t true, but even if it was, how would customs know?
According to the Japanese government, it’s also illegal for Japanese citizens to smoke pot in the US. So maybe the iphone thing is true???
Any chance being brainwashed by docomo/softbank/au like 99% of people here?
People import phones all the time.
She might be referencing the giteki certification. It’s a logo that basically says that your phone adheres to Japanese radio requirements, and it’s technically illegal to operate a phone without the mark. But it’s basically unenforceable. As far as I know, it’s only an issue if you try to get a line with one of the big carriers, but an MVNO wouldn’t care.
You might have to declare it on the customs form and pay an import duty when you return to Japan. Then you should be able to sign up for service in Japan and get an eSIM download from whatever service provider you signed up with. I’m guessing there are foreigners in Japan using iPhones they brought with them.
Everyone wants fees, but in the end it’s to also combat shitty unlicensed Chinese radio emitting products. An American iPhone operations on the same bands as a Japanese iPhone, support suica/IC and in the end works perfectly in line with the rules so don’t worry about it imo…