What Time is it in Tokyo Right Now?
What time is it in Tokyo, Japan right now? Live Tokyo clock showing exact local time. Tokyo is 9 hours ahead of the UK. Updated every second.
About Tokyo Time Zone
Tokyo is the capital of Japan and the world's most populous metropolitan area, a global centre for technology and culture. The time difference between Tokyo and the UK changes slightly twice a year when the UK switches between GMT (UTC+0) and BST (UTC+1) in late March and late October.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Tokyo time and time zones
What time is it in Tokyo right now?
The current local time in Tokyo, Japan is shown live above, updated every second. Tokyo is in the Asia/Tokyo timezone, 9 hours ahead of the UK. During UK British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1), the difference shifts by one hour.
What timezone is Tokyo in?
Tokyo is in the Asia / Tokyo timezone, operating at UTC+9. Tokyo is the capital of Japan and the world's most populous metropolitan area, a global centre for technology and culture.
How many hours ahead or behind the UK is Tokyo?
Tokyo is 9 hours ahead of the UK. This is based on UK GMT (UTC+0). When the UK switches to British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) in late March, the difference between the UK and Tokyo decreases by one hour for those months.
What is the best time to call Tokyo from the UK?
To call Tokyo during business hours (9am-5pm local time), you would need to call from the UK at 18am-14pm. Always check the live clock above for the exact current time before calling.
Best Time to Call Japan from the UK
Due to the large time difference, there is limited overlap between standard UK and Japan business hours. Early morning or late afternoon UK calls tend to work best. Japan business hours are typically 9:00am – 6:00pm local time, Monday to Friday.
| UK Time (GMT) | Japan Local Time | In Office Hours? |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00am | 6:00pm | ✗ |
| 10:00am | 7:00pm | ✗ |
| 11:00am | 8:00pm | ✗ |
| 12:00pm | 9:00pm | ✗ |
| 1:00pm | 10:00pm | ✗ |
| 2:00pm | 11:00pm | ✗ |
| 3:00pm | 12:00am | ✗ |
| 4:00pm | 1:00am | ✗ |
| 5:00pm | 2:00am | ✗ |
Japan abolished Daylight Saving Time in 1952 and has not observed it since. Japan Standard Time (JST) stays at UTC+9 all year. The gap changes only when the UK adjusts its clocks: 9 hours ahead in winter (GMT) and 8 hours ahead in summer (BST).
UK & Japan — Key Connections
- ✈ Direct flights from London to Tokyo operate daily and take approximately 12–13 hours.
- 👥 Around 17,000 British nationals live in Japan, with Tokyo and Osaka the most popular destinations.
- 💷 Japan is the UK's 4th largest trading partner in Asia, with bilateral trade worth approximately £17 billion per year.
- 🏭 Major Japanese companies with large UK presences include Toyota, Honda, Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi and Fujitsu.
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