Rakuten Mobile Employee Referral｜Up to 14,000 Points

Yes — foreign residents in Japan can use the Rakuten Mobile employee referral campaign. If you switch from another carrier (MNP), you can get up to 14,000 Rakuten Points. Other eligible applications, such as new sign-ups, can get up to 11,000 points. The single most important step is this: open the employee referral link and log in with your Rakuten ID before you apply.

This page focuses only on the employee referral campaign (campaign code 2162) and how foreign residents can use it correctly. For general information about plans, devices, and identity verification, please use Rakuten Mobile’s official English pages linked throughout this article.

Quick Answer: Can Foreign Residents Use the Rakuten Mobile Employee Referral?

Foreign residents can use the employee referral campaign under the same conditions as any other applicant. You need a valid Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate and a Japanese address. Japanese citizenship is not required.

The campaign itself does not have a foreigner-specific version. The points, the application flow, and the referral login step are the same for everyone. The parts that are genuinely different for foreign residents are the identity verification documents and, in some cases, the application channel — both covered later on this page.

Rakuten Mobile Employee Referral Campaign Explained

The employee referral campaign is an official Rakuten Mobile promotion, managed under campaign code 2162. It is only available through a referral link shared by a current Rakuten Group employee. When you log in with your Rakuten ID through that link and then apply for the Rakuten SAIKYO Plan or Rakuten SAIKYO U-NEXT, you become eligible for the referral points described below.

This is a separate program from Rakuten Mobile’s standard public referral offer, which works differently and is not covered on this page. If you already have a link from an employee, this article is written for you.

For a closer look at how the details on this site are checked against Rakuten Mobile’s official campaign rules, see our employee referral fact check (Japanese).

How Many Rakuten Points Can You Get?

The amount depends on how you apply:

Points are not paid all at once. They are split and credited over several months after your referral login month, so don’t worry if you don’t see them right away. For the payment schedule, see our referral point schedule (Japanese).

How to Apply Using the Employee Referral

Follow these five steps in order. Skipping the login step, or doing it after you apply, is the most common reason people miss the referral points.

Step 1: Open the Employee Referral Link

Use the referral link or QR code shared with you by a Rakuten Group employee. This link is what connects your application to campaign code 2162 — you don’t need to type any code in yourself.

Step 2: Log In with Your Rakuten ID Before Applying

On the page the link opens, log in with your Rakuten ID. If you don’t have one yet, you can create one for free before continuing. This login is what registers you for the referral, so complete it before you move on to the actual Rakuten Mobile application — not after.

Once you’re logged in, you can double-check that your referral login went through. See our referral login confirmation guide (Japanese) for what to look for.

Step 3: Apply on Rakuten Mobile’s Official Website

From the same session, continue to Rakuten Mobile’s application and choose the Rakuten SAIKYO Plan or Rakuten SAIKYO U-NEXT. Rakuten Mobile’s official English online application guide walks through each screen. If you’d like a more detailed, step-by-step walkthrough, we also have a full application guide (Japanese).

Step 4: Activate Your Line in Japan

After your application is approved, activate your new line — whether you’re using a physical SIM or an eSIM. Activation needs to take place in Japan; more on this in the overseas section below.

Step 5: Make a 10-Second Call with Rakuten Link

Using the Rakuten Link app, make an outgoing call of 10 seconds or longer on your new line. This call is one of the conditions for receiving the referral points, alongside completing your application and starting your line.

Logging in through the referral link registers you for the referral. It does not complete your application by itself. After logging in, please check the current points and conditions shown on the screen.

Important Information for Foreign Residents

For identity verification, most foreign residents use a Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate. The exact documents and steps accepted can depend on your application method and device, so please check Rakuten Mobile’s official English identity verification guide before you apply.

One point worth knowing: since June 14, 2026, some newer types of residence-related cards — including cards that combine a Residence Card with My Number functions, and newly issued Residence Cards themselves — cannot be used with Rakuten Mobile’s online identity verification. If your card falls into one of these newer categories, you’ll need to apply in person at a Rakuten Mobile shop instead of online.

If you’re not sure which category your card falls into, checking with Rakuten Mobile directly, or simply applying in-store, avoids any guesswork.

Do I Need the My Rakuten Mobile App?

No. The standalone “My Rakuten Mobile” app ended on August 5, 2026. You do not need to install it, and you won’t be asked to during the employee referral process.

The features it used to offer — checking your plan, data usage, and contract details — are now part of the Rakuten Link app instead. You’ll use Rakuten Link both for the required 10-second call in Step 5 and for managing your line afterward. (You may still see the name “my Rakuten Mobile” used for this account-management area inside Rakuten Link or on the Rakuten Mobile website — that’s a different thing from the standalone app that was discontinued.)

Can I Apply from Outside Japan?

You can start the application itself from outside Japan. However, your first activation — for either a physical SIM or an eSIM — needs to happen inside Japan. Receiving your SIM card, device, or start guide also needs to happen inside Japan, since Rakuten Mobile does not ship SIM cards overseas.

Because of this, applying after you’ve arrived in Japan is usually the simpler option. This overseas condition is confirmed on Rakuten Mobile’s own support page, currently available in Japanese only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Apply?

If you’d like to use the employee referral, start with the link below, log in with your Rakuten ID, and then continue to Rakuten Mobile’s application. The exact points and conditions are shown on the screen after you log in, so please check them there before applying.