Japan’s mobile network landscape is led by a carrier many international travelers have never heard of. Yet, visitors have probably seen its name on Japanese streets, in convenience stores, and across regional cities. KDDI operates under the consumer brand au in Japan. Understanding this difference is the first step to understanding Japan’s third major mobile
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