Best Time to Call Japan from the UK

Time Difference Overview

Japan does not observe Daylight Saving Time. JST stays at UTC+9 year-round. The UK, however, switches between GMT (winter) and BST (summer). This means the UK-Japan time difference changes when the UK clocks shift.

Work Hours Overlap

Visual timeline showing 9 AM -- 6 PM work hours for the UK and Japan, with overlap highlighted.

The overlap between standard UK and Japan business hours is extremely narrow. The UK morning (before 10 AM) corresponds to Japan's late afternoon (5-6 PM). This makes early morning UK calls the primary option.

GMT to JST Conversion Table

Full 24-hour comparison. Business hours (9 AM -- 6 PM) are highlighted.

Best Meeting Times

Top ranked time slots for a 1-hour UK -- Japan meeting with standard 9 AM -- 6 PM work hours.

Adjust work hours in the interactive Meeting Time Finder →

Practical Tips for UK-Japan Scheduling

A 9 hours gap makes synchronous overlap challenging. These strategies help UK-Japan teams stay connected without burning out either side.

• Target 8:00 AM -- 9:00 AM UK time. This maps to 5:00 PM -- 6:00 PM JST (or 4:00 PM -- 5:00 PM JST during UK summer). It is the only window where both sides are within or near standard business hours. For the UK, it means starting early; for Japan, it means staying until end of day.
• Consider a "Japan morning / UK evening" slot for alternation. If your team meets twice a week, alternate between a UK morning call (8 AM UK / 5 PM JST) and a Japan morning call (9 AM JST / 12 AM or 1 AM UK). The Japan morning option is tough for the UK, so reserve it for important discussions that benefit Japan-side participants and keep it infrequent.
• Leverage the UK summer advantage. During British Summer Time (late March to late October), the UK moves to UTC+1, reducing the gap from 9 hours to 8 hours. An 8:00 AM BST meeting is 4:00 PM JST instead of 5:00 PM -- giving Japan an earlier finish. Plan heavier collaboration schedules during UK summer months.
• Keep meetings short and focused. With limited overlap, every minute counts. Set clear agendas, share materials in advance, and use the synchronous time strictly for decisions that require real-time discussion.
• Build an asynchronous handoff workflow. Structure your team's day so Japan works on tasks and hands off with detailed notes before they leave. UK picks up those notes when they start their day and completes their handoff before Japan's next morning. This "follow the sun" pattern maximizes the time difference rather than fighting it.
• Watch for the UK DST transition dates. The next UK clock change is spring forward on March 30, 2026. Japan does not observe DST, so the meeting time will shift by one hour for the Japan side whenever the UK clocks change. Send a reminder to all participants a week before each transition.

How UK DST Affects Japan Calls

Related Resources

• Meeting Time Finder -- Find the best overlap window with custom work hours for your specific team.
• Best Meeting Time Calculator -- Get ranked meeting slots with scores for multi-zone teams.
• Best Time to Call India from the US -- Scheduling guide for the US-India corridor.
• Best Time to Call Europe from the US -- Scheduling guide for the US-Europe corridor.
• Scheduling Across Time Zones -- Best practices for fairness and reducing late-night calls.