| App Name (Japanese) | English Name/Type | Why you need it | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Princess Connect! Re:Dive | Anime RPG with award-winning animation | | ドラゴンクエストウォーク | Dragon Quest Walk | Pokemon GO but with Dragon Quest slimes | | ウマ娘 プリティーダービー | Uma Musume | The #1 horse girl training simulator (requires VPN) | | LINE (JP Version) | LINE Messenger | Japanese stickers are region-locked | | パ・リーグTV | Pacific League TV | Live Japanese baseball streaming | | NHKプラス | NHK Plus | Live Japanese news and dramas | | メルカリ | Mercari | The Japanese eBay (requires local address) | | TVer | TVer | Free catch-up TV for Japanese networks | | シャープ家計簿 | Sharp Household Ledger | Popular finance app in Japanese | | ジャンプ＋ | Shonen Jump+ | Read One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen same day as Japan |

Open your VPN app and connect to a server located in Japan.

The Play Store is a system-level application. Installing an APK from an untrusted source claiming to be a "Japan version" is often a security risk and won't actually change your store region. To access Japanese games (like Uma Musume Fate/Grand Order ) or apps like , you must change your account's digital location. How to Access the Japanese Play Store There are two primary ways to bypass regional locks safely: 1. Create a New Japanese Google Account (Recommended)

Open the Google Play Store. The app may take a few seconds longer than usual to load. Once it opens, you should see Japanese text, localized banners, and region-exclusive games.

— Ensure the account has no existing payment methods or active subscriptions attached. Existing subscriptions can interfere with the region-switching process.

If a VPN fails to display Japanese content:

— While the VPN is active, go to Google's account registration page (accounts.google.com/signup) and sign up for a new account. The system will treat this as a Japanese-registered account.

Google’s fraud detection algorithms are sensitive to inconsistent location data.

Under "Country and profiles," you should see an option to switch to the Japan Play Store (this usually requires being on a Japanese IP via VPN).

: Connect to a Japanese server using a reliable VPN service. Create a New Google Account

Sideloading a "Play Store Japan APK" can provide access to region-restricted content but carries notable security, privacy, compatibility, and policy risks. Use official account/payment-based methods where possible and follow strict verification and backup procedures if you proceed.

For those living in or visiting Japan, these essential apps are often found on the Japanese Play Store: SmartNews: Live News & Rewards - Apps on Google Play