I am probably not going to be able to go into this in depth in the near
future, but basically Japanese telephone numbers are fixed length. The
portion allocated to area (city) codes is variable, and there are a number
of different ways of formatting the number used that other posters have
mentioned. Taking the examples below (with a slight correction - telephone
numbers in Japan cannot start with a one as shown in the quoted message),
the full ITU E.164 telephone numbers are actually:
+81-3-3111-1111
+81-6-3111-1111
+81-45-311-1111
+81-427-31-1111
+81-994-31-1111
Keitai and PHS are:
+81-90-5111-1111
+81-70-7111-1111
Any other digits you see are routing and other dialing instructions for the
network and are NOT part of the telephone number as far as the network is
concerned. You will need to examine the first four digits to determine the
number and type of digits to follow. Any non-digit characters are either
formatting for human readability, or in the case of # the end of dialing
indicator.
Numbers of the form:
0120-211-1111
0990-211-1111
11x
Are not actually telephone numbers but are instead service indicators that
are translated to real telephone numbers with special billing. These
generally cannot be dialed from outside Japan (e.g. +81-990-211-1111 and
+81-119 will not connect to anything).
For dialing inside Japan, if the first digit dialed is a zero or a one, the
first four digits, including the zero, will be examined to determine the
type of number and number of digits expected (this is not always
deterministic). If the first digit is not a zero or one, the number is
assumed to be a local number and between six and eight digits are expected,
depending on the location. For prefixes of 090 and 070, eight digits are
expected, and the destination is a mobile number. For prefixes 00n-00nn, the
prefix is either a domestic long distance or international carrier, and the
subsequent digits are either nine digits of a domestic number or six (eight?
can't remember right now) to twelve digits of an international number.
> I think your understanding is basically correct.
> In Tokyo area, the first section is 03.
> It would be 03-1111-1111.
> I'm not an expert, but as far as I know, the third section is always 4
> digits.
> As for the second one, your y-x rule sounds true.
> Like Yokohama area, the first section is 045.
> it would be 045-111-1111.
>
> There are examples.
> 03-1111-1111.
> 06-1111-1111.
> 045-111-1111.
> 0427-11-1111.
> 0994-11-1111.
>
> If you go to real rural areas, you might see the following case:
> 09944-1-1111.
Eric Hildum
[ Did you check the archives? http://www.appelsiini.net/keitai-l/ ]
Received on Tue Jan 23 22:44:42 2001