+81 50 (050) Numbers: Who Calls From Japan's IP Phone Series

A +81 50 number (written 050 in Japan) is an IP phone number, the series Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) reserves for internet-based phone services. Businesses, call centers and smartphone calling apps use them. Because 050 app numbers could once be signed up for without ID, they were widely used in Japan's 'special fraud' (tokushu sagi) calls, which led MIC to require identity checks from April 2024.

Japan · IP phone numbers · Facts checked November 9, 2026

What these numbers look like

From abroad: +81 50 XXXX XXXX
Inside Japan: 050 XXXX XXXX (11 digits)

The digit after 050 is never 0. The number says nothing about where in Japan the caller is.

Who uses +81 50 (050) numbers?

MIC's numbering plan (電気通信番号計画, MIC Notice No. 6 of 2019) defines 050 as the 'specified IP phone number' (特定IP電話番号) series for IP telephony. MIC data show 20 companies holding 050 designations as of June 2024, including NTT Communications, KDDI, SoftBank, NTT Docomo, Rakuten Mobile and Freebit. As of end of FY2022, 24.09 million 050 numbers had been designated and 9.67 million were in use. Unlike mobile numbers, 050 numbers have no number portability requirement, so the holder can't take one to another provider.

Who is calling you from a +81 50 (050) number?

Legitimate 050 calls come from companies that run their phone lines over the internet (delivery firms, clinics, call centers) and from people using a smartphone app that gives them an 050 number. An unexpected 050 caller who claims to be police, a bank, a relative in trouble or a government office and steers you toward a payment or bank transfer matches the special-fraud pattern Japanese police warn about.

Scams seen with +81 50 (050) numbers

Special fraud (特殊詐欺) via '050 app phones': MIC's 2023 regulatory impact assessment says 050 app phones were used in many fraud calls, most of them anonymous because no ID check was required. It cites press figures for 2022: of 19,843 fraud and 'apo-den' (scouting) calls with an identified number, 7,281 (36.7%) were from IP phones, which MIC believes were largely 050 app phones.
In response, a ministerial ordinance under the Mobile Phone Improper Use Prevention Act made providers of 050 app phones verify subscriber identity at contract, in force from April 2024.
Police impersonation: the National Police Agency warns that callers posing as police may tell you you're under investigation and contact you by social media. Real police never do either. Kyoto Prefectural Police say about 70% of fraud calls now use international (+) numbers, so scammers also move to other number types.

What to do about a call from +81 50 (050)

Don't transfer money or share bank details because an 050 caller asks, even if they say they're police, a bank or a relative.
Hang up and call the organization back on a number you find yourself, never the one the caller gives you (National Police Agency advice).
Call the police consultation line #9110 if you're unsure, or the consumer hotline 188 for money disputes with a business.
Block the number on your phone. The police-recommended anti-fraud apps listed on the NPA's SOS47 site can also block numbers police have tied to fraud.

Check the exact number

A series tells you what kind of line called. To check the full number you got, use these free tools:

Phone number validator: which country, mobile or landline, and whether the length is right.
Spam number checker: warning signs that a caller is a scammer.
Who called me? Reverse phone lookup: what the number tells you about the caller.
Japan country code +81: full dialing guide and number formats.
Calling Japan from abroad: per-minute rates if you need to call someone there.

Frequently asked questions

What is an 050 number in Japan?

An IP phone number. MIC reserves the 050 series for internet-based telephone services, including smartphone calling apps.

Is a call from 050 a scam?

Not necessarily. Many companies use 050 lines. But 050 app numbers were heavily used in special fraud, so be careful with unknown 050 callers who ask for money or personal details.

Do you need ID to get an 050 number?

For 050 app phone services, yes since April 2024, when MIC extended the identity-check obligation of the Mobile Phone Improper Use Prevention Act to them.

Can I tell where an 050 caller is?

No. 050 numbers aren't tied to any region, and the same app can be used anywhere with an internet connection.

Sources

Numbering facts on this page come from the regulator or operator sources below, checked November 9, 2026. We never publish individual personal phone numbers.

MIC (総務省) - 電気通信番号制度の概要 (資料74-1-2: number types, designated carriers, portability conditions) (soumu.go.jp)
MIC press release - public comment on ordinance amendment making 050 app phones subject to ID checks (June 27, 2023) (soumu.go.jp)
MIC - 規制の事前評価書: いわゆる050アプリ電話の契約締結時等における本人確認の義務付け (soumu.go.jp)
MIC - 携帯電話不正利用防止法 guidance leaflet (050 app phone ID rule in force April 2024) (soumu.go.jp)
National Police Agency (SOS47) - 警察に偽装した電話番号に注意！ (Mar 25, 2025) (npa.go.jp)
Kyoto Prefectural Police - 犯人からの電話を直接受けないための対策について (updated Apr 3, 2026) (pref.kyoto.jp)
Government of Japan (政府広報) - 警察相談専用電話 #9110 (gov-online.go.jp)
Government of Japan (政府広報) - 消費者ホットライン188 (gov-online.go.jp)