This is good...KDDI has extended their international roaming service to include 260 American cities and 14 Canadian cities. Apparently, they're using the Verizon Wireless network in America, and the Telus network in Canada.
Is this the first step to being able to use Japanese cellular phones outside of Japan? Time will tell...

KDDI and Okinawa Cellular have announced that, as of May 1st, it will be possible to use au's international roaming service, "GLOBAL PASSPORT," in 260 cities in America and 14 cities in Canada as a new service area.

"GLOBAL PASSPORT," when used with a supporting unit, is an international roaming service that allows o­ne to use the same phone number o­n their phone even when overseas. There is no need to apply for any special services, or any optional charges. Apart from adding the roaming areas of America's Verizon Wireless and Canada's Telus, agreements have been made with America's Sprint PCS and America's Alltel. So, in addition to now being able to use the service in all 50 states of the USA besides Alaska, the service can now also be used in the Quebec and o­ntario provinces of Canada.

The cost for 1 minute of talk time is, when calling inside America, 120 yen. When calling Japan and other GLOBAL PASSPORT supporting phones throughout the world, the cost is 210 yen (when in Canada, 230 yen), and calling countries other than Japan costs 330 yen. Incoming calls cost 180 yen per minute. Furthermore, all charges incurred while using this service are tax exempt.

CDMA Service Area America (For A5505SA):


CDMA Service Area America (For supporting models up to A1303SA):


CDMA Service Area Canada:


Inspired by:
http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/18615.html

Press Release:
http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2004/0422/