Japan iTunes Purchase Guide

How to Create a Japanese iTunes Account Without a Credit Card or Gift Card
src: Japan-Codes

“Due to many reasons, iTunes Store is not an international store, and it will not be. Each country has its own iTunes Store, so does Japan. Many of iTunes Japan Store’s contents like games, apps and musics aren’t available in other countries’ iTunes Store. Therefore, you need an iTunes Japan Store account in order to purchase paid contents or download free contents in iTunes Japan Store. You need a Japanese credit card or an iTunes Japan Gift Card if you want to purchase paid contents. If you just want to download some free apps or games, you don’t need either of those. This tutorial will teach you how to create a Japanese iTunes account without a Japanese credit card or an iTunes Japan Gift Card.

Prerequisites

• An unused email account that isn’t connected to any iTunes account. If you use Gmail as your email provider, you can use the + trick to make a ‘new’ email. So japancodes+jp@gmail.com counts as a different email as japancodes@gmail.com to Apple, but Google treats both emails as identical, just like how it ignores dot separators. So no creating new/finding old emails.
• A computer with iTunes downloaded into it.

Instructions

Step 1: Open iTunes. Sign out of your iTunes account if you are signed in.

Step 2: Go to the iTunes Store. Scroll all the way down to the bottom and you should see a flag of a country. Click on it.

Step 3: Now select Japan as from the countries listed.

Step 4: Search for “Apple Store”, click the app and click “Get”. You can choose to buy any free app. Remember, it must be completely free. YOU NEED TO HAVE CLICKED A FREE APP DOWNLOAD FIRST OR ELSE YOU WON’T GET THE OPTION OF NOT USING A CREDIT CARD.

Step 5: Click “Create Apple ID”.

Step 6: Click “Continue”.

Step 7: Accept iTunes Store Japan’s Terms and Conditions and Apple Privacy Policy.

Step 8: Enter a clean email address (not used for another iTunes account). Enter a password. Enter your security info. Click “Continue”.

Step 9: Provide a payment method.

The Payment Type “None” should be pre-selected for you. Leave the gift card area blank. If it is not pre-selected, choose option “None” (although you may have done something wrong if it is not pre-selected).

The phonetic pronunciation it can be anything. You can use “ジャパン    コード” (Japan Codes).

Input any Japanese hotel address, or just use the following:

• Postal Code: 160–0023
• Select “Tokyo” from the drop down box.
• Type: “Shinjuku-ku” in the box to the right of Tokyo.
• Address: “Nishishinjuku 6–12–6” or anything you want. Leave the rest blank.
• Phone: 03 3344–5111

Note the information you used somewhere so you don’t forget it. Hyphens “ – “ might need to be removed. Click “Create Apple ID”.

If you want to purchase paid contents from iTunes Japan Store and you don’t have a Japanese credit card, get an iTunes Japan Gift Card.”

Create a Japanese iTunes Store account on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch src. Japan-Codes

“This tutorial will teach you how to create a Japanese iTunes Store, App Store, or iBooks Store account on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

• Open the App Store, iTunes Store, or iBooks Store.
• Sign out your current iTunes account.
• If you aren’t currently in Japanese iTunes Store, click here on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and select “Change Store” to change to Japanese iTunes Store. (It’s a link to Puzzle & Dragons app in Japanese iTunes Store)
• Tap the “Search” icon and search for “Japan Codes” (or any free app).
• Tap “Get” next to the item, then tap again to get it.
• When you’re asked to sign in with an Apple ID, tap Create New Apple ID and follow the instructions in the previous tutorial. [If you have two factor authentication turned on, this will not work since it requires a working Japanese mobile phone number]

After you enter all of the information required, you’ll be asked to verify your Apple ID by email. You must verify your Apple ID before you can begin using it.”

How To Purchase A Japanese iTunes Gift Card

Japan Codes has changed how they do business and they now require a very involved sign up process (read their terms & conditions before signing up). I do not recommend purchasing through them as of right now (Jan 2017) unless you would like to send them sensitive information like a utility bill. It used to be an immediate sign up and purchase process for new people and now it isn’t because of scamming. Anyhow – You can Google various places to buy a Japanese iTunes Gift Card. I’ve used a few websites like Play Asia [very easy 9/25/18] & Japan Code Supply [very fast after verification 3/25/18]. You can also buy them on ebay (Search: “Japan iTunes Card 3000 Yen” or some other money amount: 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000). Once you have an iTunes JP account and a seller you like, this process is VERY quick. ^^ After you receive the code, simply plug it into the “Redeem” link on the iTunes Store home page! You can pre-order “Five” now on iTunes for 2100 Yen (full release 1/27/17)~!