Yes, there's a substantial free tier with ads. Abema Premium removes ads and opens up more of the catalogue, including some simulcasts and live events, for a monthly fee.

Which VPN server do I need for Abema?

Japan. Tokyo is the most reliable city to start with in most VPN apps.

Does Abema work outside Japan without a VPN?

No. Abema checks your IP address on every visit and blocks anything that isn't Japanese, regardless of whether you already have an account.

Does Abema work on Fire TV or smart TVs?

The app is available on Fire TV and Android TV, and you can install your VPN provider's app directly on either. Smart TVs without native VPN support need the VPN set up at router level instead.

Why do some anime shows disappear from Abema after a while?

Simulcast rights are often time-limited or exclusive to Abema only until a wider international release. If a title has vanished, it may have moved to another platform, such as Crunchyroll, for viewers outside Japan.

Abema Isn't Available Outside Japan: Here's the Workaround

Q: Can I sign up for Abema from outside Japan?

Yes, with a Japan VPN server connected. The free tier needs no payment details. Abema Premium is easiest to subscribe to with a Japanese payment method or app store account, since carrier billing isn't available once you're outside Japan.

Abema is a Japanese streaming and live TV service, and unlike a lot of the other Asian platforms on this site, it doesn't run a general international edition. It briefly trialled a limited international app back in 2019 covering a handful of countries, but that only ever stretched to a narrow slice of content like news, Shogi and Mahjong, never the anime, variety and sport that most people actually want. Outside Japan, the main app and abema.tv simply refuse to load. Connect a VPN to a Japan server first, and the block clears the same way it would for any other geo-restricted service. If you also use TVer, Japan's other major catch-up TV platform, the same Japan server works for both.

Why Abema is blocked outside Japan

Abema is a joint venture between CyberAgent and TV Asahi (CyberAgent holds the larger stake), running since 2016, and most of what it carries, from anime simulcasts to variety shows to news, is licensed for the Japanese market only. Some of it is content TV Asahi already broadcasts domestically, and some is anime the studios have only cleared for streaming inside Japan, often ahead of a wider international release on a service like Crunchyroll. Combat sports events, including RIZIN fight cards that Abema streams live, follow the same rule.

The service checks your IP address the moment you load it, and if that address isn't Japanese, you're blocked before you see a single title.

Abema isn't a niche player, either: it was the free Japanese broadcaster for the entire 2022 World Cup, streaming all 64 matches live at no cost in what was reportedly the company's biggest single investment to date. Japan's last-16 match against Croatia alone pulled in more than 20 million viewers, which is a big part of why Abema is now such a well-known name to people who've never otherwise had a reason to look at it.

Getting connected

Connect your VPN to a server in Japan before opening Abema, not after. The location check runs as soon as the page or app loads, so switching the VPN on afterwards doesn't help. In NordVPN, search for Japan in the server list and connect to Tokyo. In ExpressVPN, select Japan from the country list.

Once connected, open abema.tv in a private or incognito window rather than a normal tab. If you've visited the site before without a VPN, your browser may have a location cookie sitting there that Abema reads ahead of your actual IP address. A private window clears that out.

Abema doesn't run a general international version the way iQIYI or Viu do. For everything that actually matters here (anime, variety, sport), there's one platform, and it's locked to Japan. A Japan server is the only way in, whichever country you're watching from.

Abema catches people out because it doesn't behave like the other Japanese and Asian platforms we cover. There's no separate international app to fall back on if a server stops working. If a Japan connection isn't getting you in, the fix is always another Japan server, never a different country entirely.

Thomas Richard Editor, FixYourVPN.com

Still blocked? Try these

Switch to a different Japan server. Abema blocks individual IP addresses rather than entire VPN providers, so a fresh server that hasn't been flagged yet will usually get through. See our server-switching guide for the steps in each app.
Check your IP. Open our IP address checker with the VPN connected. If it shows Japan, the VPN is working and something else is causing the block. If it shows your real country, reconnect and check again.
Run a DNS leak test. If your IP looks right but Abema still won't load, your DNS requests may be leaking outside the VPN tunnel. Our DNS leak guide covers the fix.
Change your VPN protocol. If connections keep dropping or failing outright, switch to WireGuard (NordLynx in NordVPN, Lightway in ExpressVPN). See our protocol guide for the steps.

Abema Premium and payment methods

Abema's free, ad-supported tier covers a large part of the catalogue and doesn't need a Japanese payment method to access, just the Japan server. Abema Premium, the ad-free paid tier with a bigger library, is easiest to subscribe to with a Japanese payment method. Inside Japan, Abema also lets you bill Premium through a Japanese mobile carrier account (docomo, au, or SoftBank), which obviously isn't an option once you're signing up from abroad.

If you're outside Japan, a Japan-issued card or a Japanese app store account for in-app billing is the most reliable route. Some international cards are accepted, but this varies and isn't guaranteed.

What's on Abema

Abema's anime section is the main draw for most viewers outside Japan: simulcasts that sometimes air on Abema before they reach international platforms, plus a deep back catalogue. Beyond anime, the platform runs around 25 linear channels covering variety shows, drama, news through Abema Prime, and some genuinely niche corners like dedicated Shogi and Mahjong channels that you won't find anywhere else. It's closer to a Japanese live TV channel with an on-demand library bolted on than a conventional streaming service.

Sport is a bigger part of Abema than most people outside Japan realise. Alongside RIZIN and various boxing cards, it carries Grand Sumo tournaments, a package of MLB games, and a slice of Premier League football, plus pay-per-view for the biggest combat sports events and concerts. If you've come here chasing a specific match, it's worth checking whether it's covered by the free tier or sits behind the pay-per-view paywall before you assume a VPN is the only thing standing between you and the stream.

Watching on phones, tablets and TVs

On a phone or tablet, connect the full VPN app to a Japan server before opening the Abema app. A browser extension only covers browser traffic, so it won't protect the app itself. Abema also has apps for Fire TV and Android TV; install your VPN provider's app on the device directly if it supports it. For smart TVs without VPN app support, set the VPN up at your router, or cast from a phone or laptop that's already connected to Japan.

If your VPN won't connect at all

If the VPN itself isn't connecting, rather than Abema blocking you once it does, try switching your protocol to OpenVPN TCP on port 443, disconnect and reconnect after a few seconds, or restart the VPN app completely. Our free VPN troubleshooter can help if you're not sure where the problem actually sits.