Best VPN for Foreigners Living in Japan

A Complete 2025 Comparison of NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN

Japan is one of the most connected countries in the world, offering fast broadband, extensive public Wi-Fi, and a high adoption rate of mobile internet. But for foreigners living in Japan long-term—students, English teachers, corporate employees, military personnel, freelancers, and digital nomads—daily digital life comes with unique challenges that locals rarely face.

Many expats in Japan need to:

Access streaming platforms from their home country
Keep using foreign banking and tax websites
Protect their data on public Wi-Fi
Use Japan-only apps even when traveling abroad
Maintain secure connections for remote work
Bypass geoblocking and censorship during travel

For these reasons, a VPN becomes essential—not optional.

But with dozens of VPN providers on the market, the question becomes:

Which VPN is truly the best for foreigners living in Japan in 2025?

In this guide, we compare the top three VPNs expats rely on:

1st NordVPN
2nd Surfshark
3rd ExpressVPN

This review focuses specifically on expat needs in Japan, not general VPN usage. Each section covers speed, security, streaming performance, banking compatibility, travel reliability, and everyday usability—so you can choose the best VPN for your lifestyle.

---

Why Foreigners in Japan Need a VPN

Before diving into the rankings, it’s important to understand why VPNs are especially valuable for expats in Japan.

1. Accessing Home-Country Streaming
Many foreigners want to keep watching:
US/UK Netflix
Hulu US
BBC iPlayer
Disney+ US
ESPN
Paramount+
Peacock
Japan blocks most foreign libraries. A VPN with strong streaming support is essential.

2. Accessing Japanese Streaming & TV While Abroad
Many Japan-only platforms block foreign IPs:
TVer
ABEMA
Hulu Japan
U-NEXT
Amazon Prime Japan
DAZN Japan
A VPN that consistently works with these services is invaluable during travel.

3. Secure Banking & International Payments
Foreign residents often use:
Wise
Revolut
PayPal
Home-country bank accounts
These websites often flag foreign access as suspicious. A VPN keeps access stable and secure.

4. Protecting Data on Public Wi-Fi
Japan’s public Wi-Fi is convenient but insecure. Many expats regularly work from:
Cafés
Hotels
Airports
Shinkansen
Co-working spaces
A VPN is necessary for preventing data theft.

5. Bypassing Geo-Restrictions Abroad
If you travel to countries with restricted internet (China, Middle East, Southeast Asia), access to:
Google
LINE
WhatsApp
Messenger
Gmail
YouTube
may be blocked. A strong VPN ensures communication remains available.

---

Ranking: Best VPN for Foreigners Living in Japan (2025)

Based on speed, security, streaming unblocking, banking compatibility, price, ease of use, and reliability abroad, here is the final ranking:

1st NordVPN
2nd Surfshark
3rd ExpressVPN

---

1st NordVPN — Best Overall VPN for Foreigners in Japan

NordVPN is widely considered the best VPN for expats in Japan due to its exceptional speed, security, and streaming reliability. It consistently outperforms competitors in categories that matter most to foreigners living abroad.

Why NordVPN Is

1. Fastest speeds in Japan
NordVPN’s server network includes multiple high-speed Japan servers located in:
Tokyo
Osaka
Yokohama

Using NordLynx (WireGuard-based), speeds regularly exceed:
800+ Mbps on fiber home internet
300+ Mbps on mobile 5G

This makes NordVPN ideal for:
4K streaming
Video conferencing
Gaming
Remote work
Cloud storage uploads

Surfshark and ExpressVPN are fast—but NordVPN remains the performance leader.

2. Best security for public Wi-Fi in Japan
NordVPN includes:
AES-256 encryption
Threat Protection (blocks malware, ads, trackers)
Double VPN (double encryption)
Onion over VPN
Automatic kill switch
No-log policy audited twice

Public Wi-Fi in Japan—especially in cafés and hotels—is vulnerable to interception attacks. NordVPN protects your device regardless of the network.

3. Works with every major streaming platform
Foreigners need a VPN that unlocks both Japanese and international platforms.
NordVPN works with:
Netflix Japan & all global libraries
Hulu Japan
Amazon Prime Japan
TVer
ABEMA
U-NEXT
DAZN Japan
Disney+ Japan
BBC iPlayer
Hulu US
ESPN+
Paramount+

Its streaming performance is the most consistent among all VPN services.

4. Strong compatibility with Japanese banking apps
Many VPNs cause banking apps to:
Reject logins
Flag suspicious activity
Block transactions
Freeze accounts

NordVPN is one of the few that consistently works with:
MUFG
Mizuho
SMBC
Japan Post Bank
Rakuten Bank
Wise
PayPay Bank

This stability is extremely important for expats who depend on Japanese mobile banking.

5. Best VPN for travel outside Japan
If you travel to or through:
China
UAE
Saudi Arabia
Vietnam
Thailand

NordVPN reliably bypasses restrictions with its obfuscated servers. Surfshark struggles more often, and ExpressVPN works but is slower.

6. Ideal for remote work
Many remote workers in Japan require:
Secure access to company servers
Encrypted file transfers
Stable VPN tunnels
Protection from IP leaks

NordVPN provides enterprise-level reliability.

NordVPN Pricing

NordVPN is slightly more expensive than Surfshark but cheaper than ExpressVPN.

Typical pricing:
Standard Plan: approx. $3–5/month
Plus Plan: approx. $4–6/month
Complete Plan: approx. $5–7/month

Given its speed, security, and reliability, NordVPN offers the best value overall.

Final Verdict (NordVPN)

If you are a foreign resident in Japan and can subscribe to only one VPN, NordVPN is the best choice. It is the fastest, the most secure, the most reliable for streaming, and the most compatible with Japanese banking apps.

---

2nd Surfshark — Best Budget VPN for Foreign Residents

Surfshark offers unbeatable pricing with premium features, making it the best “budget-friendly” VPN for expats. While slightly slower than NordVPN, it delivers excellent performance.

Why Surfshark Is

1. Best cost-performance ratio
Surfshark offers unlimited device connections—meaning one subscription can be shared among:
Your phone
Your laptop
Your tablet
Your partner
Your family

This makes it extremely economical.

2. Excellent streaming support
Surfshark unblocks:
Netflix (multiple regions)
Disney+
BBC iPlayer
Hulu US
HBO Max
DAZN (not 100% consistent)
Amazon Prime Japan

Performance is strong, though slightly less consistent than NordVPN.

3. Good speeds in Japan
Surfshark’s WireGuard protocol delivers solid speeds:
500–700 Mbps on fiber
150–300 Mbps on mobile

Fast enough for gaming, Zoom calls, and 4K streaming.

4. Works with most banking apps
Most Japanese banking apps work normally with Surfshark:
Rakuten Bank
Japan Post Bank
PayPay Bank
Wise

However, MUFG and Mizuho may sometimes require reconnecting to different Japan servers to log in.

5. Unlimited devices
This is Surfshark’s greatest advantage. NordVPN allows 10 devices; ExpressVPN allows 8. Surfshark has no limit.

Surfshark Pricing

Surfshark is one of the cheapest premium VPNs:
Standard Plan: approx. $2–3/month
One Plan: approx. $3–4/month
One+ Plan: approx. $4–6/month

If budget is your priority, Surfshark is the best choice.

Final Verdict (Surfshark)

Surfshark is the perfect VPN for:
Students
Families
Households with many devices
Budget-conscious users

If you want strong performance without paying NordVPN prices, Surfshark delivers excellent value.

---

3rd ExpressVPN — Good but Overpriced for Japan

ExpressVPN has been a big name for years, but it has recently fallen behind in speed and features, while remaining the most expensive service.

Why ExpressVPN Is

1. Good speeds but slower than NordVPN/Surfshark
ExpressVPN uses the Lightway protocol—fast, but still typically:
300–500 Mbps on fiber
100–200 Mbps on mobile

Fast enough, but not competitive with NordVPN’s speed.

2. Excellent streaming compatibility
ExpressVPN works reliably with:
BBC iPlayer
Netflix
Hulu US
Disney+
Amazon Prime

But it struggles increasingly with:
Hulu Japan
TVer
U-NEXT

NordVPN handles Japanese platforms much better.

3. Reliable in restricted countries
ExpressVPN frequently works in:
China
UAE
Qatar

However, connection stability varies and speeds drop significantly under obfuscation.

4. Fewer features for a higher price
ExpressVPN lacks:
Built-in malware protection
Dedicated IP options
Double VPN
Threat protection equivalent to NordVPN

Yet it remains the most expensive VPN.

ExpressVPN Pricing

ExpressVPN is priced at:
approx. $8–12/month depending on plan and promotions

For most foreigners living in Japan, ExpressVPN is difficult to justify compared to NordVPN or Surfshark.

Final Verdict (ExpressVPN)

ExpressVPN is still a good service, but slower speeds, fewer features, and high costs make it less ideal for expats in Japan.

---

Final Comparison Table

Best VPN for Foreigners in Japan (2025)
1st NordVPN – Best Overall
2nd Surfshark – Best Budget Option
3rd ExpressVPN – Good but Overpriced

If you want the most reliable performance for streaming, banking, and travel, NordVPN is the best choice.

---

Final Recommendation

For foreigners living in Japan who need:
Fastest speeds
Best streaming access
Strongest security
Stable Japanese banking access
Reliable operation abroad

NordVPN is the clear #1 VPN in 2025.
Surfshark is perfect for budget users or families, and ExpressVPN remains a decent secondary option.