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Utilities & Internet in Japan: The Complete Setup Guide

When you move into a place in Japan, electricity, gas, water and internet are four separate contracts — no single counter handles them all. This guide orders them from slowest to fastest, and covers how to apply, how long each takes, whether you need to be home, and how to close everything when you move out.

📅 Verified in September 2026

📋 At a glance: how the four get switched on

Service	How to apply	Roughly how long	Need to be home?
Electricity	Apply online or by phone to a power company for "use start"	Same day to a few days	Usually no
Gas	Book an opening appointment by phone or online	By appointment, often days after move-in	Yes (開栓立ち会い)
Water	File a "start of use" notice with your municipal water bureau	A few days	Usually no
Internet	Apply to a provider; some setups need on-site work	Fibre: 2 weeks to 1 month+	On installation day

* The above is typical. Procedures and lead times differ a lot between companies and municipalities — always follow what your provider and your local authority specify.

⚡ Electricity: usually the fastest, but don't skip the name change

• How to apply: before or on move-in day, submit a "start of use" application to a power company. Online or by phone both work.
• The step people miss: if someone lived there before, the power is already on — but the account is still in their name. Without a name change (名義変更) you are effectively using someone else's contract.
• What to have ready: address, start date, your name and contact details. New contracts usually also need a payment method (card or bank direct debit).
• Amperage (契約容量): studios are often 20–30A; households with many appliances 30A or 40A. Too low and running a microwave and a kettle at once can trip the breaker. You can change it when applying or later — available tiers depend on the power company.
• You can choose your supplier: retail electricity was fully deregulated in 2016, and gas and telecom companies sell power too. Switching doesn't change the wiring or cause an outage. Compare the total of standing charge plus usage rate, not just the unit price.

🔥 Gas: the only one that needs an appointment and you at home

On move-in the gas valve is shut off. A technician from the gas company must come and open it (開栓), and they will only light it and check for leaks with you present. Of the four services, this is the one you cannot avoid doing face to face.

1. Book early: call as soon as your move-in date is fixed. In peak moving season, slots can be a week out.
2. Be home on the day: the technician confirms the valve position and does the ignition check. You need to be there (立会い).
3. Duration: usually 30 minutes to an hour.
4. You'll get paperwork: emergency contact details, and how to read your meter and check monthly usage.

• When booking, give your address, move-in date and preferred time window, plus your customer number if you have one.
• Don't turn the valve yourself before the appointment, and don't move or modify gas equipment on your own.
• Detached houses and some apartments use LP (propane) gas, handled by a local supplier. The process is similar but the company is different — find out which type your home uses first.

💧 Water: in most areas, just a start-of-use notice

• How to apply: file a "start of use" notice with your municipal water bureau. Online, by phone or by postcard.
• You usually don't wait at home: the bureau operates the valve from outside. Occasionally they may need to confirm the meter location.
• Timing: switched on within a few days of applying. If you need water urgently, phone and say so.
• How it's billed: standing charge (by pipe diameter) plus usage charge plus a sewerage charge. Water and sewerage are usually metered and billed together every two months.
• Check one thing first: in some apartments part of the water charge is included in the management fee, or the account sits in the landlord's name. Ask before signing anything so you don't end up paying twice.

🌐 Internet: the slowest of the four, and the easiest to get wrong

Option	Installation	Roughly how long	Best for
Fibre (光回線)	Required (some buildings exempt)	2 weeks to 1 month+	Long-term stays, remote work, many devices
Home router (ホームルーター)	None — plug in and go	A few days to a week	Short stays, no waiting, one person
Phone tethering / mobile Wi-Fi	None	Same day to a few days	Stopgap, light usage

💳 Paying: set up a card first, add direct debit later

• Credit card: usually selectable when applying online and effective immediately — the easiest option right after you arrive.
• Bank direct debit (口座振替): the least hassle long term, but you need a Japanese bank account and must submit a debit form with your passbook or cash card. It commonly takes about a month to take effect, and you'll receive paper payment slips in the meantime.
• Payment slips (払込票): pay at a convenience store. Miss one and you'll incur a late fee, which can also affect future phone contracts and rental screenings.
• Suggested order: open all four with a credit card, then migrate to direct debit once your bank account is settled.

🧾 Moving out: all four need a stop and a start

• Electricity, gas, water and internet each need separate closing at the old address and opening at the new one. Nothing transfers automatically. Electricity and internet can be handled as a transfer (移転) with the same company.
• Gas must be re-opened at the new address, again with someone present.
• Most companies want the closing notice several days in advance — don't leave it to moving day.
• Your final bill is usually prorated to the day you left, so it may be higher or lower than a normal month. That's expected.

❓ Common questions

Official reference: Agency for Natural Resources and Energy ↗