What to expect if you start using VPN in Japan

That's why connecting through a VPN (virtual private network) is such an important step in protecting your privacy. VPNs are popular around the world. They can transform your internet experience, provide you with amazing resources and even let you glimpse the internet through the eyes of someone living in another country. Click here to see an example of a great VPN.

That's why VPNs are popular in and out of Japan. If you want access to Japan's robust internet, or if you want protection while you're in Japan, you need to know how to use a VPN. This will help you understand the expectations associated with either case.

Using a VPN With a Japanese IP

Routing your VPN through Japan comes with a number of advantages and disadvantages. Many of those depend on where you are. The experience when you're traveling through Mongolia will be different from sitting in an apartment in southern California. With that in mind, here are a few expectations that will help you understand the experience.

Unlocking Content

One of the reasons to go specifically through Japan is Japanese content. Whether you're a big fan of anime or creative game shows, there are a lot of entertaining resources that only come out of Japan. If you want access to Japanese broadcasts and content, routing your VPN through the country is the best way to unlock that content. Just a few of the most popular streams and channels to unlock include

- TV Tokyo
- Wowow TV
- Fuji TV

Routing through Japan will also expose you to Japanese content on international sites like Netflix and Amazon. Seeing what's popular in another country can be a lot of fun, and the Japanese market is big enough that these major players bring a lot of entertaining stuff to the table.

Privacy

The leading reason to use a VPN is for privacy. No one knows who or where you are because your location is protected by the VPN. When you surf the web in the U.S. form a Japanese IP (as an example), you get an extra layer of privacy. You also get double the regulation, which in this case, can be useful.

You see, Japan and the U.S. each have their own set of privacy regulations. While some rules will overlap, other rules don't. When a site caters to foreign web surfers, they have to be in compliance with both sets of regulations. This is why you get cookie prompts on most major sites. They have to do that to meet EU rules.

So, when you surf in the U.S. while routing through Japan, you invoke a doubled set of privacy protection. This particular pair of countries is good because the privacy regulations are useful without bogging down your overall access to the internet.

Performance

There is an issue to consider when routing through Japan. No matter what other country you're in, you're routing across an ocean. That definitely can impact connection speeds and your overall internet performance. With a high-quality VPN, you won't notice lag and problems, but on free VPNs, you'll notice that everything is being redirected through a server across the world.

Using a VPN While in Japan

The second case is using a VPN while you're already in Japan. You have two options. You can use a foreign IP to gain international advantages, or you can use an in-country server to get the bonuses of a VPN without some of the disadvantages. Just as VPN usage in Japan can offer new opportunities and challenges for businesses operating in the country, entrepreneurs considering how to start an LLC in Florida should also be aware of the potential benefits and risks associated with various technological tools and strategies that can affect their ventures.

Staying in-Country for Performance

While in Japan, there are plenty of VPN servers that are local but still offer protection. When you take advantage of these servers, you can get connection speeds so high that you don't notice any slowdowns or lag whatsoever. Japan has great internet infrastructure, so a local connection can be lightning fast.

You're still getting the privacy protection of the VPN. That's great to protect you from website data tracking, and it can keep you out of certain kinds of trouble too. For visitors to the country, the VPN is just one more security layer that won't hurt. Additionally, you can get access to regional content that might let you view a show sooner than you could locally.

Getting out of Japan

When you're in Japan, you can use your VPN to the same benefits that are listed above. You can route through a country like the U.S. to increase your privacy protection. This is extra important for visitors who aren't familiar with Japanese internet laws and might accidentally stumble into trouble. As an example, torrenting is a big no-no in Japan.

You can also route through foreign countries to gain access to their content. Two of the most common routing destinations for Japanese browsers are the U.S., Malaysia and a few key European countries. Both provide massive amounts of content, and there's no reason you should be denied because of your location.

Privacy is another issue. Japan does have some laws, but the very best countries for protecting privacy are around the world. They're in that list of European countries, and if you want to be completely sure that none of your data is at risk of exposure, routing through those countries can offer a lot of protection. In fact, some of those countries have such good privacy protection that VPN companies set up their businesses there.

Along these same lines, you can explore the many different curators of online content at major providers like Netflix and Amazon. Once you've started exploring their options from different countries, you might get hooked.

Using a VPN in General

Regardless of where you are or where you're routing your IP, there are some expectations that are universal to the VPN internet experience. These mostly come down to the services offered and the performance of the VPN servers, but knowing the trade-offs and advantages behind these variations is the only way to make sure you choose a good VPN provider. While you're reading these, keep in mind that extra services can negatively impact performance, but they don't have to.

Performance

We already touched on this lightly, but it's important to understand how VPNs impact performance. When you use a professional VPN, you are routing all of your traffic through a selected server. That server is treated as the final destination by any site or app you use, and the server then privately relays packets to you. This adds a step to everything you do online, and distance does matter. If you're routing through a server that is 10,000 miles away, you're likely to get more lag than if you route to something 10 miles away. It's just physics.

That said, the VPN provider has a lot of say in your experience. Internet pipelines are so fast that it's possible to have a lagless interaction with people across the world. Those speeds just usually aren't free.

Additionally, VPN providers can do things like throttle your bandwidth or restrict your access to certain sites or regions. In most countries, VPNs are not regulated the same way as internet providers. They can treat your experience however they like. Because of that, you want a VPN provider that will give you a great experience because they want your business. It's pretty straightforward stuff.

Protection

The amount of protection you get from a VPN will also depend on the provider. With any VPN (that actually works), your identity is protected. The fact that you're routing through a server on a secured connection doesn't change.

What does change is additional security and protection that can come with your VPN. Competitive providers will add some bells and whistles to the package to entice you to their services. These can include ad blockers, server optimizers (that connect you to the fastest active server in the country you choose), location randomizers (if you're really worried about privacy), higher levels of encryption and more. Your VPN experience hinges almost entirely on who you choose to provide it, and additional protections and features are a major part of that.

Extra Features

There are extra features that can make the experience easier and more enjoyable. These are things like automatic connections, multiple simultaneous VPNs, double VPNs, torrenting and content unlocking services. A VPN doesn't need these things to be effective, but when these features are built into the software, it makes everything easy and convenient.

That summarizes what you can expect if you start using a VPN in Japan. We covered routing into and out of Japan, as well as some general rules for using a VPN. Altogether, you have a real chance for an excellent internet experience that maximizes privacy and protection without impacting performance. If you want to enjoy all of those benefits, you need to start looking for a VPN service that works for you. Otherwise, stay safe on the internet and check back in for more vital advice to living online.