Live Japan Standard Time Clock

Japan runs on a single clock. The offset from Coordinated Universal Time is UTC+9, and it stays that way every day of the year. No spring forward, no fall back.

The official time for all of Japan, including Yokohama, Tokyo, Osaka, and every other city, is set by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) using atomic clocks. The IANA time zone identifier is Asia/Tokyo.

JST: UTC+9 Year-Round

Japan Standard Time is nine hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. The reference meridian is 135°E, which passes through the city of Akashi in Hyōgo Prefecture. The choice was made in 1886 to unify the country for railway schedules and trade.

There is no variation. Summer, winter, spring, autumn: the offset is always UTC+9.

No Daylight Saving Time in Japan

Japan does not observe daylight saving time. The country has not changed its clocks since a brief period under Allied occupation from 1948 to 1951. After that, the practice was abolished. Opposition came from farmers, educators, and the general public. Debates about reintroducing DST have occurred (most notably during the 1970s oil crisis and again in the 2000s), but no legislation has passed. For the foreseeable future, there will be no DST in Japan.

This means the time difference between Japan and cities that do observe DST (like New York, London, or Los Angeles) changes twice a year. When the US or Europe "springs forward," the gap shrinks by one hour. When they "fall back," it grows by one hour.

Quick Time Differences to Major Cities

Because of DST, the offset between Japan and other cities depends on the date. Here are the differences for two points in 2026: 15 January (Northern Hemisphere winter) and 15 July (Northern Hemisphere summer). Yokohama time is the reference.

City Offset on 15 Jan 2026 Offset on 15 Jul 2026
New York 14 hours behind 13 hours behind
Los Angeles 17 hours behind 16 hours behind
London 9 hours behind 8 hours behind
Paris 8 hours behind 7 hours behind
Dubai 5 hours behind 5 hours behind
Mumbai 3.5 hours behind 3.5 hours behind
Singapore 1 hour behind 1 hour behind
Sydney 2 hours ahead 1 hour ahead
São Paulo 12 hours behind 12 hours behind

Note that Mumbai, Dubai, Singapore, and São Paulo do not observe DST, so their offset to Japan is constant. Sydney does observe DST, so its offset changes.

Japan's Single Time Zone Explained

All of Japan uses one time zone: JST (UTC+9). There is no separate zone for Hokkaido, Okinawa, or any other region. The IANA zone Asia/Tokyo covers the entire country.

This is unusual for a nation that stretches over a long distance from north to south. The decision to use a single zone was made for administrative simplicity. It means the sun rises and sets at very different clock times depending on where you are. In Yokohama, the shortest day (21 December) has 9 hours 46 minutes of daylight. The longest day (21 June) has 14 hours 33 minutes.

Quick Reference: What to Remember

  • Current offset: UTC+9, year-round.
  • DST: Does not exist in Japan. No clock changes.
  • Time zone name: Japan Standard Time (JST).
  • IANA zone: Asia/Tokyo for the entire country.
  • Official timekeeper: NICT.
  • One zone: All of Japan uses the same time.