News On Japan
Society

SoftBank to abolish two-year binding mobile phone contracts in Japan

Sep 07, 2019 | News On Japan

Sep 07, 2019 (Japan Times) - SoftBank Corp. said Friday that from next week it will stop giving its mobile phone users two-year contracts that offer discounts on monthly communication fees but impose substantial penalties for canceling early.

The major mobile phone operator will start offering rate plans from Sept. 13 that do not include cancellation charges or contract terms. Two-year contracts currently offered by the company impose a cancellation fee of ¥9,500.

The move by SoftBank is in response to a new government regulation coming into force in October that requires mobile phone operators to drastically cut cancellation fees on two-year contracts to ¥1,000 or less.

The new regulation is aimed at spurring competition in the industry, by having the country’s three major phone companies — SoftBank, NTT Docomo Inc. and KDDI Corp. — offer services for basic fees that are not bound by a specific time frame. It also aims to help low-cost smartphone operators attract users.

SoftBank introduced the new rate plans after it determined the low cancellation fees would not deter users from quitting mid-contract.

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Japan Finds Unexpected Support in Monterrey

Japan will face Tunisia in its second match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 21 in Monterrey, a northern Mexican city known for its mountains, modern skyline and unexpectedly strong connections with Japan.

Typhoon No. 7 (Mekkhala) Forms As Heavy Rain Spreads Across Japan

Typhoon No. 7, named Mekkhala, formed east of the Philippines at 3 a.m. on June 20 and is forecast to move westward for the time being before approaching the Philippines early next week with a storm zone, while some simulations show it later turning northward toward the Okinawa area.

Tokyo Elementary School Fire Injures 11 Pupils And Teachers

Eleven pupils and teachers were injured after a fire broke out at Takinogawa Daisan Elementary School in Tokyo's Kita Ward at around 11 a.m. on June 19, forcing more than 300 children to evacuate and briefly trapping several pupils on a narrow ledge outside a fourth-floor classroom.

Bears Growing More Aggressive in June and July

Bear attacks and sightings are increasing across Japan, with multiple people injured on June 17 and experts warning that bears are becoming more accustomed to human environments, potentially leading to more dangerous and unpredictable encounters in the years ahead.

Supreme Class Debuts on Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen

JR Central and JR West on June 17 announced pricing and service details for the new private-room seating that will be introduced on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen from October, creating a new top-tier class above the existing Green Car service.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         
MORE Society NEWS

Cargo Ship Runs Aground Off Toshima

A cargo ship carrying vehicles from Osaka to Tokyo ran aground off Toshima in the Izu Islands before dawn on June 19, creating an unusual scene in which a large freighter appeared to have docked at a part of the island with no port.

Mother of Divine Messenger Arrested Over Teen's Captivity

Nara Prefectural Police have arrested the mother of a man accused of leading a group that allegedly confined the 19-year-old son of a company executive, expanding an investigation that has already led to the arrests of the victim's father and six others.

Man Surrenders in Theft of 800 Agricultural Containers

A suspect has surrendered to police in connection with the theft of about 800 agricultural containers in Gyokuto, Kumamoto Prefecture, a case that caused losses estimated at around 1 million yen and left the victimized company struggling to replace the stolen equipment.

Japanese Man Arrested as Mastermind of Cambodia-Based Scam Network

A Japanese man suspected of serving as a key coordinator for a Cambodia-based fraud syndicate that allegedly caused losses totaling billions of yen was arrested by Japanese authorities after being deported from Thailand on June 16.

Hokkaido Mosque Destroyed in Arson Attack; Suspect Rearrested

A 37-year-old man previously arrested for allegedly attempting to set fire to a company and residence operated by a Pakistani national in Ebetsu, Hokkaido, has been rearrested on suspicion of setting a blaze that destroyed a mosque building used as an Islamic place of worship.

Deadly House Fire in Hamamatsu Claims One Life

A man was found dead after a house fire destroyed a residence in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, early on June 16, after a police officer on patrol spotted smoke and flames rising from the property.

32-Year-Old Master Devotes His Life to Stone Skipping

A stone-skipping tournament on the Nagara River in Gifu Prefecture has drawn attention to 32-year-old Kosei Kigo of Nagoya, whose extraordinary dedication to the childhood pastime includes spending hours searching for the perfect stones, taking private coaching lessons, and competing against some of Japan's top athletes in pursuit of stone-skipping mastery.

Costco Food Poisoning in Nagoya Linked to High Roller Packs

More than 900 packs of the food linked to a food poisoning outbreak at a Costco store in Nagoya were sold over a two-day period, health authorities said.