Best VPN for Japan: Boost Your Privacy and Unblock Global Streaming Content

ExpressVPN is the best overall VPN by CNET and the best VPN for Japan. We like that Express demonstrates a steadfast commitment to privacy and transparency. It’s a safe choice for privacy-conscious VPN users and also a fantastic option for casual users because it’s extremely simple to use, fast and excellent for streaming. ExpressVPN has servers in Osaka, Shibuya, Yokohama and Tokyo. In addition to ExpressVPN’s excellent coverage in Japan, there are also servers all 50 US states.

Why we like it

With ExpressVPN, you’ll get a simple interface and consistent user experience across platforms, making ExpressVPN an ideal choice for beginners. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV Stick and even a newly released GUI app for Linux. ExpressVPN’s streaming performance is impressive. We were able to access content from popular streaming sites like Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video across all devices we tested. You can connect up to eight devices simultaneously with ExpressVPN, which is fewer than many other VPNs offer (NordVPN allows for 10 and Surfshark unlimited), but should still be enough for most users.

You’ll want fast speeds for streaming and other data-heavy activities like gaming and torrenting. Thankfully, ExpressVPN delivers. We measured an 18% average speed loss in our latest speed tests with ExpressVPN, representing a significant improvement over our previous testing. The provider was able to remedy some recent speed woes with a couple of inventive solutions on both Lightway and OpenVPN protocols on its latest Windows app.

If you have heightened privacy needs, you’ll appreciate ExpressVPN’s approach to transparency and user privacy. The provider leads the industry with 22 independent audits since 2018 and sets a standard by consistently rolling out innovative privacy improvements. ExpressVPN has kept pace with post-quantum security standards and integrated ML-KEM into the Lightway protocol to beef up its post-quantum protections. IP Shuffle is another helpful feature that works in the background and changes your IP address each time you load a website, which helps make it even more difficult to track you online. ExpressVPN’s kill switch works as advertised, and we encountered no leaks in our latest tests. The VPN employs industry-standard AES 256-bit and ChaCha20 encryption with its Lightway protocol and supports OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. Its TrustedServer technology takes the RAM-only server infrastructure to the next level by reinstalling the entire server stack in addition to wiping any data with every reboot.

ExpressVPN is a well-rounded VPN and one of the very best you can buy. But the catch is that you’ll pay a premium. The monthly subscription plan costs $13 per month, which is pretty standard across the industry. If you choose a long-term subscription, you’ll pay $100 for the first year or $140 total for the first two years combined (the one- and two-year plans renew at $117 annually). Those prices are approximately in line with what its closest competitor, NordVPN, charges: $13 per month, $60 for the first year or $81 for the first two years combined (the one- and two-year plans renew at $140 per year). Other top VPNs are considerably cheaper. Surfshark costs $48 for the first year or $60 total for the first two years (the one- and two-year plans renew at $79 annually). Proton VPN sets you back $60 for the first year or $108 total for the first two years, then $80 annually upon renewal on the one- and two-year plans. ExpressVPN offers a seven-day free trial, followed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you have the opportunity to try the service before buying or fully committing.

• Also featured in: Best VPN Service, Best VPN for Travel

NordVPN is the best VPN Japan for users who need blazing-fast speeds for 4K video streaming, competitive online gaming or lag-free Zoom calls. We appreciate its generous network of servers in Japan -- as well as elsewhere around the globe. NordVPN's network coverage is extensive, with more than 1,970 servers in the US spread across 16 cities alone. In Japan, you can connect to more than 130 servers in Tokyo and Osaka. This impressive coverage minimizes the need to connect to distant servers, reducing issues related to overcrowding. It also offers a handful of privacy-boosting options and some innovative features like Meshnet. While Express remains slightly ahead in privacy and transparency, and other VPNs offer cheaper long-term prices, NordVPN still provides an impressive all-around service that continues to improve.

Why we like it

NordVPN is the fastest VPN we tested by a long shot, with a best-in-class 3% average internet download speed loss -- its closest competitor was Proton at 16% speed loss. In our testing, we found NordVPN an excellent choice for streaming, with effortless unblocking of foreign Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus and HBO Max libraries. Additionally, we had no issues watching BBC iPlayer, CBC Gem, Hulu, Crunchyroll and several other regional streaming services. Coupled with fast speeds, its excellent region-restricted content unblocking makes Nord one of the best VPNs for streaming. 

With a sizable roster of 8,000-plus servers peppering 126 countries, NordVPN is excellent for international travel and streaming -- its global reach is slightly more than Proton VPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN. Its 10-device simultaneous device allowance is excellent for power users with many devices. While some providers, like Surfshark and PIA, offer unlimited simultaneous device policies, Nord’s longtime rival ExpressVPN limits you to eight. 

Why we like it

We like that NordVPN’s strong privacy chops go beyond the basics. Alongside the industry-standard NordLynx (WireGuard-based) and OpenVPN VPN protocols, Nord offers its proprietary obfuscation-oriented NordWhisper, which masquerades as traditional web traffic to try slipping through firewalls. NordWhisper could be helpful in situations like on school Wi-Fi, when the network you’re on doesn’t play nicely with VPNs. You’ll get double VPN (which uses a second VPN connection) and Onion over VPN servers (which use Tor) to make it even more difficult to trace your traffic back to its source compared to a standard VPN connection. Meshnet lets you create a virtual local network of PCs, mobile devices and streaming devices for secure file sharing, hosting LAN parties or accessing services like Netflix without pesky multi-factor authentication.

Initially, NordVPN is a great value at $13 per month, $60 for the first year or $81 total for the first two years. However, the one- and two-year plans renew at an astronomical $140 per year, which is considerably more than the $79 to $80 that Surfshark and Proton VPN renew for, but in the same ballpark as ExpressVPN's $117 annual renewal price. Although you can avoid a pricey renewal price hike by stacking subscriptions, we’d like to see Nord’s pricing model be more transparent. Despite its extortionate renewal price, NordVPN is a superb VPN for everyone from streaming fanatics to folks with critical privacy needs.

• Also featured in: Best VPN for Streaming, Best VPN for Netflix

Proton VPN is the only free VPN we recommend using due to its reliable privacy, decent privacy features and unlimited data usage. Normally, free VPNs limit your data usage, sell your data or plaster your screen with ads, but Proton VPN’s free plan doesn't. You get access to five international locations, including the US and Japan. The free plan has decent speeds for streaming Netflix’s US library and other internet activities in Japan. But you can't manually select a server -- instead, you're automatically placed on a server.

Why we like it

However, Proton VPN's premium plan is still a good pick in Japan if you want to stream more content from other sites or need access to other servers. The paid plan offers 14,900-plus servers in 122 countries across the globe. We could also stream content from Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus. The free plan allows for only one device connection, while the paid plans offer up to 10 simultaneous connections.

Proton VPN works on Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Chromebooks, which can work on up to 10 devices at once using the paid plan (the free plan offers only one device). Proton VPN costs $10 a month, $60 for the first year or $108 total for the first two years (the one- and two-year plans renew at $80 annually). Proton includes a 30-day, money-back guarantee.

• Also featured in: Best VPN for Windows, Best VPN for Amazon Prime Video

Surfshark is the best value VPN for Japan. You'll find about 62 servers in Tokyo and servers in more than 20 US cities. Surfshark boasts an impressive roster of useful premium features that deliver a lot of value despite a recent renewal price hike. It can’t quite match NordVPN’s speed or ExpressVPN’s overall privacy position, but it comes remarkably close at a cheaper price. All in all, Surfshark is a top-notch VPN that demonstrates consistent improvement year after year.

Why we like it

Surfshark’s apps are slick, simple to use and deliver a consistent user experience across platforms, including Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV. Streaming enthusiasts will appreciate that Surfshark does a good job of unblocking content on most platforms and streaming services and that it offers apps for smart TVs as well as streaming devices. Other than a few minor hiccups, Surfshark’s streaming experience was solid, which we would expect from a top-tier VPN service, and it offers unlimited simultaneous connections while most VPNs limit you to 10 or fewer.

We’re impressed with Surfshark’s consistently fast speeds over the past few years, with an average speed loss hovering in the high-teens. We measured an average speed loss of 21% in our 2025 speed tests -- which is technically slower than previous years, but shouldn’t result in a noticeable difference in practice. Surfshark’s network of over 3,200 servers across 100 different countries is large, but somewhat smaller than those provided by ExpressVPN (105 countries), Proton VPN (122 countries) and NordVPN (126 countries). A large network of servers like what Surfshark offers can help ensure fast speeds and stable connections by minimizing congestion and offering more options for more users to connect to servers nearby their physical location.

In addition to standard privacy protections like its kill switch, no-logs policy and DNS leak protection, Surfshark includes a few unique features that help it stand out from the pack. Dynamic Multihop lets you tunnel through any two server locations of your choosing for an added layer of privacy, and Rotating IP switches your IP address every few minutes, making it harder to track you online. Surfshark’s Alternative ID lets you create an alter-ego complete with full name, physical address, and email address that you can use online without divulging your true identity. Following the lead of other VPN providers including ExpressVPN, Mullvad and NordVPN, Surfshark plans to roll out post-quantum protections this year to protect against potential future threats from quantum computers. Even though Surfshark is still playing catch-up in terms of transparency, we’re encouraged by company representatives telling us that a no-logs audit has been commissioned for this year (its first since 2022) and that the company is committing to annual third-party audits.

While Surfshark’s $15.45 per month rate makes it one of the most expensive monthly subscription prices in the industry, pricing for its longer-term plans is reasonable. The yearly plan costs $48 for the first year and $79 annually thereafter, and the two-year plan costs $60 total for the first two years combined, then $79 annually. Surfshark’s renewal prices increased this year, but its overall pricing is still significantly cheaper than ExpressVPN’s $100 for the first year or $140 total for the first two years (the one- and two-years renew at $117 annually), as well as NordVPN’s $60 for the first year or $81 total for the first two years (the one- and two-year plans renew at $140 a year). And like many other VPNs, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you’re not satisfied with the service.  

• Also featured in: Best Cheap VPN, Best Multi-device VPNs

ExpressVPN has cutting-edge privacy and security features and is a recipient of a CNET Editor’s Choice award. It’s extremely simple to use, fast and excellent for streaming. Right now, you can get 61% off when you sign up for a two-year subscription, plus four free months on any of ExpressVPN’s three subscription tiers.