Rakuten Mobile Employee Referral Campaign — Best Deal in 2026
Who is this for? Expats, tourists, and foreign workers living in Japan who want to slash their mobile bill — this campaign lets you earn up to 14,000 Rakuten Points (worth approximately ¥14,000) just for switching to or signing up with Rakuten Mobile.
Campaign Overview
This page covers Rakuten Mobile's "[Exclusive for those referred by a Rakuten employee] Rakuten Strongest Plan Referral Campaign" (Campaign Code: 2162).
Honestly, this is one of the best mobile sign-up deals you'll find in Japan. The big advantage over public campaigns? You earn 1,000 extra points, re-contracts are fully eligible, and it works across multiple plan types.
Point Rewards
- Switch via MNP (Mobile Number Portability — transferring your existing phone number from another carrier): 14,000 points
- New sign-up / re-contract (no MNP): 11,000 points (bumped up from 7,000 → 11,000 points starting September 1, 2025)
Tip for expats: Even if you've had a Rakuten Mobile contract before (say, you cancelled it when you moved back home), you can still qualify as a "re-contract." That's a huge leg up over the standard public campaign.
Who Is Eligible?
- First-time applicants
- Re-contract (returning) customers
- 2nd line and beyond (up to a maximum of 5 lines)
Eligible Plans
- Rakuten Strongest Plan (the main data plan — tiered pricing up to unlimited)
- Rakuten Strongest U-NEXT (bundles in the U-NEXT streaming service)
- Rakuten Strongest Plan (Data Type) (data-only SIM, no voice calls)
- Rakuten Turbo (home broadband router plan)
How This Differs from the Standard Campaign
The employee referral campaign gives you 1,000 more points than the regular referral, includes re-contracts and multi-line applications, and works with a wider range of plans.
How to Apply — Step by Step
- Click the campaign entry button
- Log in with your Rakuten ID — that one login automatically completes your entry
- Proceed to sign up from the campaign page
- After your line is activated, make a phone call of 10 seconds or more via the Rakuten Link app by the end of the month two months after activation
Important: For applications made after 09:00 on March 2, 2026, a call via the Rakuten Link app is required to receive the points.
Rakuten Link is a free VoIP calling app. Download it after activation, call any number for 10+ seconds, and you've hit the campaign requirement.
Point Distribution Schedule (Example: Entry Confirmed in June)
MNP Transfer (14,000 points total)
| Installment | Distribution Date | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | End of October | 4,000 pt |
| 2nd | End of November | 5,000 pt |
| 3rd | End of December | 5,000 pt |
New Sign-up / Re-contract (11,000 points total)
| Installment | Distribution Date | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | End of October | 3,000 pt |
| 2nd | End of November | 4,000 pt |
| 3rd | End of December | 4,000 pt |
Points are limited-time Rakuten Points, valid for 6 months from the date awarded (including the award date). Distribution kicks off 4 months after your login confirmation month and rolls out over 3 consecutive months.
Pro tip: Rakuten Points are surprisingly useful — spend them on Rakuten Ichiba (Japan's biggest e-commerce platform), at Rakuten Pay merchants all over Japan, or put them toward your future mobile bills.
Pricing Plan
The Rakuten Strongest Plan keeps things simple with a 3-tier structure — you pay only for what you actually use:
| Data Usage | Monthly Fee (tax incl.) | With Family Discount |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 3 GB | ¥1,078 | ¥968 |
| 3 GB – 20 GB | ¥2,178 | ¥2,068 |
| Over 20 GB (unlimited) | ¥3,278 | ¥3,168 |
Available discount programs:
- Rakuten Strongest Family Discount (最強家族割): Every family member saves ¥110/month — no need to live at the same address or share a last name
- Rakuten Strongest Youth Discount (最強青春割): Users 22 and under save ¥110/month (minimum ¥858/month)
- Rakuten Strongest Kids Discount (最強こども割): Users 12 and under who use 3 GB or less save ¥440/month (as low as ¥528/month)
Frequently Asked Questions
I had a Rakuten Mobile contract before. Am I still eligible? Yes. Previous contracts don't disqualify you — re-contracts are explicitly included.
Can I apply this campaign to multiple lines? Yes. You can apply to up to 5 lines total.
I used an incompatible campaign in the past. What happens? As long as the new line you're applying for isn't using that incompatible campaign, you'll still qualify for this employee referral campaign.
Important Notes
- Some campaigns cannot be combined with this one (check the Combination Guide article for details)
- No set end date — the campaign may close without prior notice
- Benefits and point amounts are subject to change