Cancelling your internet when you leave Japan
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Cancelling is the part people get wrong, because it has to happen while you are still in Japan and still have a working bank account.
Start a month before you go
Most providers want notice before the end of a billing month, and some only accept cancellation by phone during business hours. Leaving it to the final week means paying for an extra month you are not here for.
If you are inside a two-year contract, ask for your 契約更新月 (contract renewal month) when you call. Cancelling during that window avoids the early termination fee entirely.
The fees you will be quoted
Early termination is typically ¥4,000–6,000. Separately, if you received a discount labelled 工事費実質無料 (installation effectively free), the remaining balance of the actual installation cost becomes payable — that can be another ¥10,000–20,000.
The second one surprises people, because the installation felt free at the time. Ask specifically what the total will be, not just the cancellation fee.
Returning the equipment
The ONU, and the router if it was rented, have to go back. A prepaid return kit usually arrives after you cancel, which is a problem if you have already left.
Ask them to send it before your departure date. If it will not arrive in time, ask for the return address and send it yourself. Unreturned equipment is charged at replacement cost.
The final bill after your bank account closes
The last invoice usually lands one to two months after cancellation, often after people have closed their Japanese bank account. The direct debit fails and the account goes to collections.
Two ways round it: keep the bank account open one extra month, or switch the payment method to a credit card that stays valid after you leave.