TOKYO, Feb 16 (News On Japan) –
Japan’s telephone setting is about for sweeping adjustments in 2026, with cell numbers nearing exhaustion and long-standing providers resembling characteristic telephones, the Town Page listing and the 104 data line all coming to an finish.
Telephone communication stays an important a part of each day life, evolving from landlines to cellphones and from characteristic telephones to smartphones, however main adjustments at the moment are approaching as demand for numbers surges and older providers fade.
Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications says cell numbers starting with 090, 080 and 070 are operating out, with solely about 5 million numbers remaining accessible. As extra individuals carry a number of gadgets and demand for brand spanking new providers grows quickly, a number of million new numbers are used every year, elevating issues that accessible numbers might be depleted inside one to 2 years if utilization continues on the present tempo.
To deal with the scarcity, a brand new cell prefix, 060, shall be launched beginning in July 2026. Officials say the transfer is important to make sure a secure provide of numbers, although beforehand issued numbers are sometimes recycled after cancellations, which means a 090 quantity doesn’t essentially point out a long-time person.
At the identical time, a number of acquainted telephone providers are being phased out. NTT Docomo will finish assist for its 3G characteristic telephones on the finish of March, bringing the period of so-called “garakei” gadgets to a detailed together with the i-mode web service that helped popularize cell net entry in Japan. Many customers recall customizing ringtones, sharing early emojis and even extending antennas on older handsets.
The printed Town Page listing, as soon as used to search for telephone numbers for companies and households, can even stop publication in March. The listing’s roots date again to the early days of telephony in Japan, when the primary listings in 1890 contained fewer than 200 entries on a single sheet of paper. As phone use expanded within the Showa period, directories grew thicker and ultimately cut up into a number of volumes, reflecting the unfold of telephones throughout the nation.
Another service set to vanish is the 104 listing help line, which has supplied telephone quantity data for people and companies since Japan’s phone service started in 1890. Usage peaked at about 1.28 billion inquiries yearly in 1989 however has since fallen by roughly 99% with the unfold of the web and smartphones. Many youthful individuals at the moment say they’ve by no means used the service or are unfamiliar with it.
At one listing help middle in western Japan, about 150 operators nonetheless deal with calls from throughout the nation. One veteran operator with greater than three many years of expertise mentioned the job allowed her to attach with individuals nationwide via voice alone, listening to background sounds from callers’ environment and feeling a way of connection regardless of the space. She hopes to make the ultimate day of service on March 31 a memorable one.
As cell numbers run low and legacy providers disappear, Japan’s telecommunications panorama is present process a significant transition. While new prefixes and applied sciences promise better comfort, the adjustments additionally mark the top of acquainted programs that supported on a regular basis life for generations.
Source: KTV NEWS