Japan’s mobile network landscape is dominated by a carrier most international travelers have never heard of — even though they’ve probably seen its name on Japan’s streets, in its convenience stores, and across its regional cities. KDDI operates under the consumer brand “au” in Japan, and this disconnect between corporate and retail identity is the
Japan has always had a complicated relationship with mobile technology. On one hand, it was decades ahead of the world — Japanese consumers were browsing the internet on their phones and paying for train tickets with a tap long before most countries had reliable 3G. On the other hand, Japan has a well-documented tendency to