Best VPNs for watching Japanese Netflix content abroad in 2024

Netflix tailors its content based on your current location. To access Netflix Japan, you’ll need to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to switch your virtual location to Japan.

With the right VPN connected to a Japanese server, Netflix Japan’s vast library—which contains an unmatched selection of anime titles—becomes available no matter where your travels take you.

A VPN encrypts a device’s internet traffic and routes it through an intermediary server in your chosen location. By connecting to a VPN server in Japan, you can browse the web as if you lived in the country and access tons of Japan-only websites, apps, services, and content.

Only a few VPN providers can reliably bypass the ban, while the rest remain locked out. We tested several providers and found out which VPNs work with Netflix Japan. If you’re short on time, here’s a straightforward list of the best VPNs for watching Japanese Netflix from abroad:

1. NordVPN: Our top choice VPN for Japanese Netflix. Has excellent speeds, a huge range of security features, a no-logs policy, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. It is popular with anime fans who want uninterrupted access to Netflix and other popular streaming services.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Netflix Japan.
2. Surfshark: The best budget option for unrestricted access to Netflix Japan. Quick and highly versatile, with strong security and privacy features. No connection limit, so you can enjoy Japanese titles on any streaming device.
3. IPVanish: Works consistently with Netflix Japan, Netflix US, and other international platforms. Good month-by-month price, fast server speeds and no device limits.
4. ExpressVPN: Fast servers in Japan, consistent access to Netflix and most other major platforms without any buffering issues. Great privacy and security credentials, including 256-bit AES encryption and a no-logs policy.
5. CyberGhost: Largest server network of all providers in this list, with over over 10,000 servers in 100+ countries. Strict no-logs service and an intuitive interface that’s perfect for VPN beginners accessing Japanese content.
6. PureVPN: Reliable and good value VPN for streaming Netflix Japan. Strong no logs policy, AES-256 encryption. Allows torrenting. 
7. ProtonVPN: Connect to servers in 112+ countries, including Japan. Robust encryption, live chat support 24/7, and advanced features for techy users.
8. PrivateVPN: Small provider with a few servers in Japan for a Japanese IP address. Can access Netflix Japan from anywhere. Has 256-bit encryption and works great with mobile devices.

How to get Japanese Netflix from anywhere

Here’s how to watch Japanese Netflix from anywhere:

1. Sign up for a Netflix account if you don’t yet have one.
2. Pick a VPN provider from our list below. For speed and reliability, our first choice is NordVPN.
3. Connect to a server back home in Japan to get a Japanese IP address.
4. Open the Netflix website or app as you usually would. You should be automatically redirected to the Japanese version.
5. Login and start enjoying Japanese Netflix from any location!
6. If you encounter any issues, clear your cookies and try again.

Best VPNs for Netflix Japan: a snapshot of features

Our criteria for choosing the best VPNs for watching Japanese Netflix

Our list of the best VPN service providers for Netflix Japan is based on scoring each provider on various criteria. We’ve summarized these below, but you can explore the data in full later in the article.

• Speed: We specifically tested how fast each provider’s Japanese servers were over a day. We used a home broadband connection to simulate the average user’s experience.
• Netflix region access: We scored providers based on how many different Netflix regions they could access in addition to Japan. We combined this score with one of our resident experts’ scores.
• Security and privacy: Providers were evaluated against 15 security and privacy criteria. These included whether they logged user activity and the encryption used to protect data in transit.
• Ease of use: Ideally, the whole experience of using a VPN should be stress-free. We compare providers’ relative ease of use using ten metrics, ranging from user-friendliness to support for routers.
• Value for money: To find which providers offered good value, we looked beyond just the monthly fees. Our eight assessment criteria also considered the number of permitted connections and the availability of any discounts.

Best VPNs for watching Japanese Netflix

Let’s take a detailed look at our recommended providers for watching Japanese Netflix content:

1. NordVPN

Nov 2024 works with netflix japanTested Nov 2024

NordVPN has a great reputation for accessing Netflix content. It works with Netflix Japan and numerous other countries, including the Netflix UK, Netflix France, and US.

The provider has more than 130 servers in Japan, so it’s easy to find one that works with Netflix. The first server we tried allowed us to access Netflix Japan during testing.

NordVPN also works with Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Paramount Plus, and many more. The company says that its SmartPlay technology is key to its streaming abilities, but it doesn’t provide details about what this might involve. The key thing is that it works.

NordVPN has over 6,000 servers in 111 countries overall. These are all RAM-only, which means they have no permanent memory that could be used to store user activity. NordVPN doesn’t try to keep track of what users are doing as a rule and has a zero-logs policy that’s been independently verified through multiple third-party audits.

We tested the speed of NordVPN’s Japan servers over a day. To gauge the average user’s experience, we used a home broadband connection with an average download speed of 51.68 Mbps. You can see the results below.

NordVPN was not only fast but incredibly consistent. Netflix recommends a download speed of 15 Mbps for streaming in UHD. NordVPN’s average speed over the day was 39.6 Mbps, comfortably above the Netflix recommendations.

Apps have numerous security and privacy features, the usefulness of which will depend on where you’re connecting from. Its obfuscated servers, for example, disguise VPN traffic to navigate blocks in countries like China.

The provider’s Double VPN servers route traffic through an additional VPN server to increase encryption, while the Onion Over VPN servers provide one-click access to the secure Tor network.

Other features include a dark web monitor, which issues an alert if any of your sensitive personal information is found online, and app-based split tunneling. Public Wi-Fi protection is optional, as is the kill switch, which can be set up so that only certain apps disconnect if the VPN connection fails.

NordVPN’s Meshnet tool allows users to set up personal networks of trusted devices that can be accessed remotely. This tool is available without a subscription, so visit the NordVPN site to try it.

Apps are available for iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux (command-line only). They’re all easy to use—even the Linux app. They protect user-generated traffic using strong 256-bit encryption and come with built-in leak protection. We confirmed that NordPVN kept our UK-based IP address hidden while connecting to a server in Japan.

NordVPN subscriptions allow up to 10 simultaneous device connections. If you need to connect more devices or want to stream Netflix Japan on a VPN-incompatible device, you can configure a NordVPN connection on some home routers. Check the NordVPN website for instructions and a list of compatible devices.

BEST VPN FOR NETFLIX JAPAN:NordVPN is our first choice. It’s extremely fast and doesn’t compromise on security. It works with Netflix and similar platforms with ease. It comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Check out the full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

works with netflix japanTested Nov 2024

Surfshark has more than 3,200 servers in 100+ countries, including Japan, which has 62 servers available in Tokyo. Finding servers is easy—just scroll through the list of countries on the app’s dashboard or enter a country name in the search bar.

Once connected, users can access a wide range of streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Max, and BBC iPlayer. We connected to a server in Japan and were able to stream Netflix Japan without issue. The provider also works with Netflix in the US, UK, Australia, and more.

We carried out several speed tests to determine what speeds users might expect while connected to one of Surfshark’s servers in Japan.

Surfshark’s speeds increased slightly throughout the day. The average speed was 38.6 Mbps, which is fast enough to stream Netflix Japan in the best available quality.

Apps are available for macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, and Linux. Unusually among VPN providers, the Linux app has a full GUI. This is great if you’re new to Linux and not yet command-lining everything.

The apps use strong encryption and come with numerous features—some more unusual than others. There’s a kill switch, an ad-tracker and malware blocker, and a NoBorders mode that obfuscates your traffic if you need to connect from a restrictive country like China.

Surfshark is one of the few VPNs that offer static IP addresses. These are available via dedicated servers in Japan, Germany, Singapore, the UK, the Netherlands, and the US. Alternatively, users can opt for their IP address to be regularly changed while still connected using the Rotating IP feature.

One of the more unusual features is the Alternative ID tool. This allows users to generate personas with a name, date of birth, and address. Addresses are available in the US, Denmark, Portugal, Brazil, Australia, and Germany.

The company says leak protection is enabled by default. We tested this by conducting IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests while connected to a server in Japan. As promised, Surfshark didn’t reveal our UK location while connected.

Subscriptions are decently priced if you’re happy to take on a two-year plan. This costs the equivalent of $2.19 a month and includes unlimited device connections. This makes it a particularly cost-effective option for those in larger households.

The provider says it doesn’t store user activity logs, a claim verified by third-party audits of its software and infrastructure. If you have any questions, the customer support team is available 24/7 via live chat.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark manages to provide impressive speeds, security, and unblocking ability while remaining affordable. Better still, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read the full Surfshark review.

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3. IPVanish

works with netflix japanTested Nov 2024

IPVanish has been around for more than a decade. Over the years, it has become one of the top VPN providers for streaming and has fortified its defenses by purchasing—rather than renting—its network hardware.

The provider has more than 2,400 servers in 60+ countries, including Japan, where it has 10 servers in Osaka and 35 in Tokyo. It helpfully lists the number of servers available in each location (which most VPN providers don’t). Users can choose between servers based on their ping time and relative load.

We tried accessing Netflix Japan while connected to an IPVanish server in Tokyo. It worked right off the bat. We also tried UK and US servers to see if we could access international Netflix libraries. Again, we had no problems.

IPVanish works with a wide selection of other platforms too, including Disney Plus, Max, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and BBC iPlayer.

The streaming quality is great, which suggests fast download speeds. We tested these while connected to a server in Osaka. You can see the results below.

Speeds were a little variable but excellent nonetheless. Overall, the provider averaged 40 Mbps, making it the second-fastest provider we tested.

IPVanish doesn’t favor the minimalist app interface popular with some providers. Instead, it provides lots of connection information. This includes a real-time graph of data uploaded and downloaded, a map with the current server location illuminated, and the connection protocol in use.

Features include a kill switch, an ad, tracker, and malware blocker, automatic Wi-Fi protection, and app-based and IP-based split tunneling.

The user can choose between the WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 connection protocols. Those opting for OpenVPN get access to the Scramble function, which obfuscates user traffic and enables it to evade some VPN blocks. We say ‘some’ because it didn’t work in China the last time we tested it.

IPVanish says that it keeps no logs of which servers users access, where they are located, and what they do while connected. This has been verified via independent audit.

DNS and IPv6 leak protection is enabled by default. We tested this out, while also testing for any IPv4 and WebRTC leaks. IPVanish was resoundingly leak-proof, which is great for anyone who doesn’t unwittingly want to expose their true location while streaming Netflix Japan.

Subscriptions are priced at the lower end of the market, with a two-year plan costing the equivalent of $2.19 a month. This lets users connect as many devices as they want simultaneously and also gives them access to a SOCKS5 proxy.

SUPER FAST VPN:IPVanish uses the WireGuard protocol by default and offers fast speeds for streaming 4K content. Securely access Netflix US and Netflix Japan. Connect all of your devices at once. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full IPVanish review.

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4. ExpressVPN

works with netflix japanTested Nov 2024

ExpressVPN has secure, RAM-only servers in 105+ countries. In Japan, it has servers in more locations than most providers, namely Tokyo, Shibuya, Yokohama, and Osaka. This is great not just for Netflix, but for watching Japanese TV in general.

The first server we tried didn’t allow us to access Netflix Japan, but the second did. This is pretty normal among VPN providers, so don’t be surprised if you need to adopt a trial-and-error approach. The customer support team can point you to working servers if you lack patience.

We tried using ExpressVPN servers in the UK, US, Germany, Spain, and South Korea to see if they could help us access the associated Netflix libraries. This worked well. We also successfully accessed popular Japanese platforms like Lemino and Hulu Japan.

If you want to stream Netflix Japan on a VPN-incompatible device, ExpressVPN makes a router app so you can use ExpressVPN across your whole home network. It’s simple to set up — unlike the manual configuration options offered by other providers — and easy to get rid of if you change your mind.

An alternative to accessing US content libraries is to use ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer service. This is basically a smart DNS service that works with Smart TVs and game consoles like Xbox and PlayStation. It doesn’t encrypt traffic, so it isn’t as secure as a VPN.

We tested ExpressVPN’s speed over the course of a day while connected to a server in Osaka. You can see how if performed in the chart below.

Speeds were notably consistent throughout the day, which is great news for binge-watchers. Speeds averaged 37.5 Mbps overall, which is more than fast enough for streaming high-resolution Netflix Japan content.

ExpressVPN apps are pleasingly easy to use. The dashboard makes it easy to find servers and get connected.

If you want to do anything more complicated, all the settings are laid out sensibly and enabled or disabled with tick-boxes. Options include a kill switch, app-based split tunneling; an ad, tracker, malware and adult-site blocker; and a choice of two protocols — one of which is ExpressVPN’s home-grown Lightway protocol. Lightway makes establishing a connection to a VPN server incredibly fast.

The provider uses strong encryption to protect user-generated traffic and keeps no logs that could be used to identify user’s online activities. This has been confirmed by third-party audits of its software and infrastructure. ExpressVPN also does things like reinstall the operating systems of every server on a weekly basis to ensure network-wide stability.

ExpressVPN apps are available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. The Linux app is command-line only, but nevertheless easy to set up and use. We’ve already discussed the router app, which is effectively home-grown firmware.

SECURE AND PRIVATE:ExpressVPN is a solid all-rounder.. It can reliably access Netflix Japan and most other popular streaming services. Fast speeds for buffer-free HD viewing and good security and privacy. Try it risk-free with the 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

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5. CyberGhost

works with netflix japanTested Nov 2024

CyberGhost has the largest server network of any VPN in this post. — in excess of 10,000 at the last count. These are available in 100+ countries, including Japan.

While these big numbers sound great on paper, what’s actually interesting about CyberGhost is that it has servers optimized for particular streaming platforms. Using these servers removes the need for a scattergun approach to establishing a working connection. Netflix Japan has a server, as does Netflix India, Italy, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, and Germany.

We tried a number of these servers and they worked great. Out of interest, we also tried the server optimized for the Amazon Prime Japan. This, too, worked great.

CyberGhost helps simplify the streaming process still further with its Smart Rules feature. Part of this — the so-called ‘App rules’ — allows users to tell CyberGhost to automatically open and connect to a particular server when a named app is opened. This removes the need for interacting with the VPN if you want to watch Netflix Japan, for example.

Users can also set up automatic public wi-fi protection and specify a particular app that should open when a VPN connection is established. Other features include a kill switch; an ad, tracker and malware blocker; and a choice between the WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols.

DNS and IPv6 leak protection is optional. We tested this out, along with the provider’s resistance to WebRTC and IPv4 leaks.

The company doesn’t keep any logs of user activity and uses RAM-only VPN servers that can’t store data long-term. CyberGhost’s no-logs policy has been independently audited on more than one occasion, which gives credence to its privacy claims.

But what about speed? Does CyberGhost’s reputation for being fast still stand? We found out by carrying out speed tests while connected to one of its servers in Japan.

Speeds slightly increased through the day, but were at all times fast enough for streaming Netflix Japan in HD. The average download speed was 36.4 Mbps, which places the provider nearer the bottom than the top when compared to the other providers in this list.

CyberGhost apps are available for desktop (Windows and Mac) and mobile (Android and iOS). The provider also has apps for Amazon Fire TV and Android TV, and browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox.

Subscriptions are cheap, with a two-year plan costing the equivalent of $2.19 a month. This includes up to seven simultaneous device connections, which is fewer than average — though still adequate for most people.

The provider is compatible with home routers that support the OpenVPN protocol. Manually configuring a router connection means you can watch Netflix Japan on any connected device — including those that don’t natively support VPN software.

TAILOR-MADE FOR STREAMING:CyberGhost has a vast server network and works with numerous streaming platforms — including Netflix Japan. Great for beginners and comes with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost review.

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6. PureVPN

works with Netflix JapanTested Nov 2024

PureVPN is a highly reliable and low-cost VPN that has servers in Japan and 65+ other countries. It’s a great option for accessing the Japanese Netflix catalog while on vacation.

PureVPN works well with numerous Netflix content libraries as well as with streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Max, and BBC iPlayer.

Its ‘Shortcuts’ menu helps streamline the process by listing servers suitable for the various streaming platforms. Connecting to one then automatically opens the website of the platform in question, saving you having to do it yourself.

Shortcuts already exist for Netflix in the US, Canada, Japan, France, the UK, and Italy. If you want a different Netflix country and can find a working server for it, you can create your own shortcut.

In our most recent lab tests, PureVPN was one of the fastest VPNs. We wanted to find out whether this was the case when specifically connected to a server in Japan and in a non-lab environment. To this end, we carried out three speed tests over the course of a day using a home broadband connection.

PureVPN clocked impressive speeds throughout the day, and was the fastest provider for each testing round. Needless to say, it’s fast enough for uninterrupted streaming.

PureVPN apps are easy for beginners to get to grips with, though there’s a little more to initially take in. However, most people will only need to use the Location and Settings menus for day-to-day use.

Useful settings include a kill switch, a tracker blocker, split tunneling, and a choice of WireGuard, IKEv2, and OpenVPN connection protocols. PureVPN obfuscates traffic by default, which is convenient if you’re regularly connecting from a country that blocks VPNs (like China).

The provider has an independently audited no-logs policy and built-in leak protection. We confirmed that it was leak-free by carrying out a series of IP, DNS, and WebRTC leak tests while connected to a server in Japan.

Apps use strong 256-bit encryption and are available for macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Fire Stick, and Apple TV. Users are permitted to connect up to 10 devices simultaneously, though it is possible to configure a connection on compatible home routers if you need to connect more.

Subscriptions are excellent value — primarily because PureVPN offers a five-year plan. This works out at the equivalent of $2.16 a month and is great for anyone who prefers to keep a tight grip on their finances.

FAST & CHEAP:PureVPN is a highly impressive VPN to stream Netflix Japan on a budget. It’s reliable and easy to use on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Firestick. Strong no-logs policy and rock-solid AES-256 encryption. Comes with a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Find out more in our PureVPN review.

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7. ProtonVPN

works with Netflix JapanTested Nov 2024

ProtonVPN has an excellent reputation and provides everything you need to stay secure online. The company itself is based in Switzerland, which has no mandatory data retention laws and strong privacy protections. It’s not the cheapest service, but it is one of the very safest and most well-suited to whistleblowers and activists.

But what about people who want to access Netflix and, in particular, Netflix Japan? The good news is that ProtonVPN works with multiple Netflix libraries. We had no problems streaming Netflix Japan, the UK, and the US during testing.

ProtonVPN works with a variety of other platforms too, including Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Max.

We tested its speeds over the course of a day while connected to a server in Tokyo. We used a home broadband connection to simulate an average user’s experience of using the service to stream Netflix Japan.

ProtonVPN isn’t the fastest provider on this list, though its speeds were decent and good enough for smoothly streaming Netflix Japan. Its average over the day was 29.1 Mbps, which is almost double Netflix’s 15 Mbps recommendation for streaming UHD.

Over the years, ProtonVPN has been expanding its server network. It now has one of the largest networks in the business, comprising 8,150 servers in 112+ countries. In Japan, it has 79+ servers in Tokyo and Osaka. Users can choose between individual servers rather than being limited solely to a choice of cities.

In addition to its regular servers, ProtonVPN has self-owned bare metal servers (Secure Core) that it houses in high-security data centers in privacy-friendly countries. Users can add one of them to their connection to protect themselves in the even that a VPN server becomes compromised.

Other features include a kill switch, an ad, tracker, and malware blocker. Port forwarding is permitted and there’s both app-based and domain-based split tunneling available. Nestled among the WireGuard and OpenVPN protocol options is the Stealth protocol, which you can use to obfuscate your traffic. Note that this doesn’t work in China.

DNS and IPv6 leak protection are enabled by default. Having carried out our own leak tests, we can confirm that these work as they should and that there are no WebRTC or IPv4 leaks either.

ProtonVPN doesn’t keep any logs of user activity and has undergone three independent audits to prove it. Unlike most other providers, all of ProtonVPN’s apps are open-source, which means their code is available for the public to scrutinize. Supported platforms include iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux. All of these apps have a full GUI.

ADVANCED FEATURES:ProtonVPN has advanced features suitable for techy users. Connect to servers in 112+ countries, including Japan. Robust encryption to stream Netflix privately at work or on campus. Live chat support is available 24/7. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Find out more in our ProtonVPN review.

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8. PrivateVPN

works with netflix japanTested Nov 2024

PrivateVPN is one of the most capable VPNs for Netflix, and works in multiple other countries beyond Japan. The provider also unblocks Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer, among others.

PrivateVPN has servers in 63+ countries, though it has relatively few servers in each. Its entire network numbers are in the hundreds rather than the thousands. In practice, this means some locations are occasionally unavailable if a server goes down.

PrivateVPN helpfully lists the ping time next to each server, giving users a good indication of how fast connections are likely to be. The server in Tokyo, for example, had a ping rate of 266ms, which reflects the distance between the UK and Japan. We tested its speeds over the course of a day on a regular home broadband connection with an average download speed of 51.68 Mbps.

Speeds slowed a little through the day, but were decent enough for streaming Netflix Japan. PrivateVPN met the requirements for streaming in UHD, though you might want to use HD of FHD if you’re competing with others in your household for bandwidth and have a relatively slow base connection speed. It’s possible to improve PrivateVPN’s speeds by lowering the level of encryption used on user-generated traffic. We’ll discuss this again shortly.

The provider’s apps are easy to use, with a dashboard that comes in two ‘views’: simple and advanced. The simple view consists of a connection button and an option to change locations. It’s great for not intimidating VPN beginners.

Those who wish to tailor their connection can do so via the ‘advanced view’ dashboard. The first thing to note here is that there’s a drop-down menu next to ‘OpenVPN encryption’. This allows users to switch from 256-bit to 128-bit encryption. Because this requires less computing power, it can add a few Mbps to download speeds. It’s a good option for the majority of people as 128-bit is still very secure.

Available protocols include OpenVPN, PPTP, and L2TP. We wouldn’t recommend using PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) due to its many document vulnerabilities.

PrivateVPN has an effective Stealth mode that works in China. This can also help if you’re having trouble accessing streaming platforms. The provider is a good option for torrenting, too, as it allows port forwarding.

A system-wide kill switch is available, though there’s also the less extreme option of an app-specific kill switch. You could set this up so that the Netflix app terminates if the VPN connection drops out.

IPv6 and DNS leak protection are enabled by default. We tested PrivateVPN’s ability to keep our location hidden by testing these as well as checking for IPv4 and WebRTC leaks.

As expected, PrivateVPN was reliably leak-free. The provider is great for privacy on the whole, with a comprehensive no-logs policy and minimal requirements for user details when signing up (an email address is all that’s needed).

Subscriptions are about as cheap as they come, with a three-year plan costing the equivalent of $2 a month. Subscribers are allowed up to 10 simultaneous device connections, which is the industry standard. Manual router configuration is possible, with the added bonus that support staff are able to provide remote help via TeamViewer.

EFFECTIVE AND SECURE:PrivateVPN is great value, security-conscious, and able to access Netflix Japan. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

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Netflix Japan VPN testing methodology

There are hundreds of consumer-facing VPNs available, but not all of them work to stream Netflix in Japan. Most VPNs are too slow for HD streaming without buffering, and Netflix has blocked many VPN servers. This means that you must pick a service carefully.

At Comparitech, we understand how easy it is to be tricked by the claims made on VPN websites. Providers regularly claim to be the most secure, fastest, and best VPN for privacy. The reality is that these claims are often overblown.

To sort the wheat from the chaff, we’ve devised a rigorous testing process for evaluating VPNs. You can see how this works below.

Speed

All VPNs will slow your connection down. The encryption and decryption process, together with the additional routing, means this is inevitable. However, VPNs vary drastically in the extent to which they slow your connection. Some make streaming impossible, which is what we want to avoid.

We tested providers’ speeds while connected to one of their servers in Japan. Our base connection speed averaged 51.68 Mbps on the day of testing, and we connected from the UK. We conducted three speed tests during the course of a day using the desktop version of the Ookla speed-testing app. You can see the results below.

PureVPN was clearly the fastest in all three tests, though all providers achieved speeds greater than the 15Mbps minimum required by Netflix for streaming in UHD. Bear in mind that if you’re connecting from somewhere nearer Japan than the UK, then your speeds will be faster.

To more conveniently compare providers, we can take an average of the speed test results and convert them to a score out of ten. This gives the following:

The top three providers in terms of speed are PureVPN, IPVanish, and NordVPN. All are great options for users who want to preserve their base connection speed as much as possible.

Netflix region access

All of our recommended providers work with Netflix Japan. However, if you’re paying for a VPN, you may as well get one that works with as many Netflix libraries as possible. We carried out region access tests and also asked one of our veteran reviewers about their experience with accessing Netflix content with each provider. We combined the results to give each VPN a Netflix region access score.

The best options for those who like exploring new Netflix content are NordVPN and Surfshark. These give you unrivaled access to Netflix Japan and a host of other regional content libraries. ExpressVPN and CyberGhost are also solid choices.

Security & privacy

A good quality VPN provider will ensure that users’ connections are secure and private. This keeps you safe — not only while streaming Netflix Japan, but whenever you’re online. To gauge which providers were best equipped for this, we scored them on 15 different metrics. You can see these in the table below.

We assign a score to each of these criteria to create an overall score out of 10. This makes it more convenient to compare providers directly.

Based on the chart above, NordVPN and Surfshark offer the best overall security and privacy. These are closely followed by ProtonVPN, which is well-known for its commitment to user safety.

Ease of use

Most people use VPNs as a means to an end rather than for the love of the software itself. With this in mind, we’ve chosen providers that help reduce the amount of unnecessary interactions you need to have with them. We evaluate this using 10 different metrics, which you can see in the table below.

We assign a score to each metric, which we then use to generate an overall ease of use score.

NordVPN is the easiest-to-use provider overall, closely followed by IPVanish and ExpressVPN. All three have been in the VPN game a long time and seem to have learned what works and what doesn’t when creating a positive customer experience.

Value for money

While a cheap monthly fee is always crowd-pleasing, overall value should take more than this into account. We evaluate providers on eight different metrics, which you can see in the table below.

We combine these scores to give us an overview of how the providers compare in terms of their relative value for money.

Surfshark gives you the most bang for your buck overall, closely followed by IPVanish. Both providers have reasonably priced long-term subscriptions and allow unlimited device connections.

Can I use a free VPN to watch Netflix Japan?

We’ve heard of a few Japanese proxies that can access Netflix Japan, but the free ones are likely too congested or unreliable to stream in anything resembling decent quality. At any rate, you’ll need to be able to read Japanese to register and use them. Free VPN services generally lack the bandwidth to stream video without tons of buffering, and many of them cap data at a hard limit.

We generally recommend avoiding free VPN services. Even if you don’t have to fork over payment details, free VPN services are not charitable entities. They often make a profit by collecting data from your browsing habits and selling it to third-party advertising agencies. Some inject ads into your web browser, while others even carry malware payloads to infect your device.

In any case, it’s unlikely that a free VPN has the resources to bypass Netflix’s firewall reliably.

English subtitles and dubbing on Netflix Japan

If you don’t speak Japanese, finding subtitles or dubbed voices for anime on Netflix Japan can be a bit hit and miss. Subtitles are more common than dubbing, for sure, but many titles have neither. We suggest you take advantage of a VPN’s free trial or money-back guarantee period to watch Netflix Japan and check to see whether subtitles or dubbing are available for the show you want to watch.

To get Japanese subtitles on Netflix, start playing a movie or show, then select ‘Audio & Subtitles’ on your screen. If Japanese isn’t listed, you can choose ‘Other’ for more options. If Japanese is still not available, you might need to change your profile language to Japanese. This could make Japanese subtitles available for some content.

However, the availability of Japanese subtitles can depend on your location, the specific title you’re watching, and your device. Some older devices before 2014 may not support subtitles for some languages, including Japanese.

If the above does not work, you can use external subtitle services like Subscene or OpenSubtitles to download a Japanese subtitle file and add it to your media player while watching Netflix as a last resort.

Still seeing the Netflix proxy error? Try this:

If you signed up for one of the VPNs we recommended above but still see the Netflix proxy error when you try to stream video, try the following:

1. Log out of any Google accounts, including Chrome browser. Google caches your IP address and can reveal your true location to Netflix.
2. Disable GPS and any other location-based services on your device and browser. If you’ve given Netflix permission to use your location in the past, you’ll need to disable the permission in your browser settings.
3. Clear your browser cookies, cache, and temp files. We’ve got tutorials for both clearing your cache and clearing your cookies for all the major operating systems.
4. Disable IPv6. This is mainly for Windows 10 users but may cause problems on other operating systems as well. In Windows 10, you can disable IPv6 in your Wifi properties.
5. Flush your DNS cache. In Windows, open Command Prompt as an administrator and enter the command: ipconfig /flushdns
6. Change your device’s time zone to the country in which you’re trying to watch Netflix. Japan’s time zone is UTC+9.
7. If you are connected to a wifi network and can access the router, rename the wifi network, or SSID. Add “_nomap” to the end of the network name, without quotation marks. This will opt your Wi-Fi network out of Google’s geolocation services. You will need to reconnect your device to the updated network to regain internet access.
8. Disconnect and reconnect to the server location to see if you can get a different IP address.