KDDI and Okinawa Cellular have launched au Starlink Direct, Japan’s first commercial Direct-to-Cell satellite service, providing nationwide text-based connectivity via Starlink satellites. Starting April 10, 2025, the service enables compatible au smartphones to communicate directly with satellites anywhere in Japan—mountains, offshore waters, and remote islands included—so long as there is an open sky.
The service is available to all au users (individuals and businesses) free of charge during the initial rollout and supports 50 smartphone models, including both Android and iOS devices. It enables SMS, RCS, iMessage, location sharing, emergency alerts (earthquake, tsunami, J-Alert), and AI text-based queries using Google’s Gemini assistant on Android. While au’s population coverage exceeds 99.9%, Japan’s mountainous terrain means area coverage has traditionally hovered around 60%. au Starlink Direct fills in that remaining 40%, effectively expanding au’s service footprint to 100% of the country’s land and maritime territory.
This rollout marks a significant advancement in mobile accessibility, positioning Japan as one of the first countries globally to enable Direct-to-Cell satellite services at scale. The launch reflects a broader strategy by KDDI to enhance nationwide coverage through both terrestrial and space-based connectivity, ensuring consistent access to communications—even in emergencies.
- KDDI and Okinawa Cellular launch Japan’s first Direct-to-Cell satellite service, au Starlink Direct.
- The service connects smartphones directly to Starlink satellites for text messaging and alerts.
- Covers all of Japan, including remote areas, oceans, and mountains not reached by 4G/5G.
- Available on 50 supported smartphones, with no fee or application needed at launch.
- Offers emergency alerts, location sharing, and Gemini-powered queries via text.
“I’m very excited to bring direct-to-cell phone connectivity to Japan through KDDI, the first in Asia and one of the first in the world,” said Gwynne Shotwell, President & COO of SpaceX. “Both Starlink and direct-to-cell are game-changing technologies… bringing potentially life-saving capability to the people of Japan.”
