Someone mentioned to me they had need of a Japanese proxy server for some online business they were involved in. It started me thinking about the increasing use of these services. I’ve been using proxies and VPNs most of my life, it started off mainly configuring at work but now they are definitely becoming fairly mainstream technology. Sure many people have probably used them for years too without really noticing. If you can use the internet at work or college, it’s very likely being redirected through a proxy server of some sort in order to maintain, audit and control what comes in and out of the network.

But why do people increasingly need proxies and specifically want a Japan proxy or a US proxy etc. Well one of the most common reasons by far is to bypass network or ISP restrictions blocking people from specific sites. There’s a whole host of content filtering software on most networks and increasingly installed at a country or ISP level which blocks access to specific sites. Using a proxy server can bypass these restrictions in many situations.  For example, the advanced VPN  Identity Cloaker is particularly adept at bypassing these proxy blockers in any situation. It even evades the advanced content filters such as Websense which will easily detect and defeat online proxy sites. Whether this is a priority for you often depends on where you live and work. Trying to access normal technology can be a real pain in locations like Qatar and Saudi Arabia which routinely block useful sites like Skype, Facebook and YouTube for their own particular reasons.

But sometimes in these situations any proxy will do and the location is not that important. Yet there are many instances where people need a proxy in a specific country, which is why those services which can change your IP address easily are so useful.

So Why Would Someone Want a Japanese Proxy Server?

Well it might be that they wanted to access specific services or content in Japan whilst out of the country. Increasingly many companies are blocking access to different content when accessed outside the country.  It may be for licensing issues, perhaps to restrict markets or offers to a specific area. It happens with just about all big TV and media companies for instance – they will all block access from outside their home territory. So if you wanted to watch Japanese TV or radio then you’d likely need a Japan web proxy server if you were somewhere else in the world.

Other situation can be found in the world of eCommerce too.  Web servers are often designed to filter out connections based on their location to discourage commercial use or worse fraudsters.    Want to buy a ticket for a popular concert being held in Japan?  You are almost certainly going to need to connect from a Japanese IP address then.  Sites like Ticketmaster block proxies and connections from non-local addresses quite routinely.  Social media sites are always blocking or filtering accounts based on their addresses too.  Which is why people have to use proxies to promote multiple Instagram accounts for example.

Here’s what you’ll see if you connect through a Japanese proxy server for instance irrespective of where you are located.

Google uses similar technology to the companies who block based on location. So here Google has decided that we are based in Japan so it would be best to use the Japanese version of it’s search engine. Of course I am not really there but because I have access to a selection of Japanese proxies and VPNs I can access content there if I so wish.

But it’s not all about watching films or TV and shows online. Many people use proxies for marketing and in their online businesses. For instance I know some Australian businessmen who sell lots of stuff in Japan online but have to appear actually be there to post adverts, use Japanese websites and suchlike. Just like eBay or Craigslist will block certain actions for non-residents, people who use the internet to sell or promote usually are forced to use networks of proxies to hide their real location.

These proxy services used to be very expensive but they have fallen rapidly in price as competition enters the market. Still too many companies try and charge fees for a single proxy or VPN in a specific country though. There are a couple who offer much more flexibility though – my favorite for price and sheer diversity of the servers that they have available is NordVPN.

They an extensive Japan proxy service, plus plenty of proxies in Singapore, South America, USA, Canada, UK and loads of other places. It’s worth noting your subscription includes every single one of them and they’re not additional extras like many companies.  Remember though certain websites, particularly some e-commerce sites need residential addresses, VPNs rarely provide these and you’ll need to buy a residential proxy service for those.

Here’s the software in action – it actually make a VPN (Virtual private network connection) to each server simply by selecting the one from a list. This makes it easier to access specific Media sites which are only accessible from certain countries.  So you’d select a Tokyo proxy to access Japanese content for example.

 

It’s a cracking investment which you can use to access whatever country you need.  It’s also the best VPN for chrome I’ve found as many are extremely slow when connected to a remote server.   I use it in my work online and for watching media sites like the BBC IPlayer, Pandora and Hulu for fun. Check them out especially if you need a hard to find proxy or VPN  for a country like Australia or Japan. There’s evidence that more and more people are using geoproxy Japan solutions because of the increasing number of blocks facing people when they travel.

Try them out for a month I’m certain you’ll be amazed at the possibilities it opens up online and there’s no better value believe me I’ve searched !

However if you have any recommendations on other Japan VPN or Proxy providers I’d love to hear about them!