London vs Tokyo Time Difference
City Comparison
Tokyo is 9 hours ahead of London for most of the winter and 8 hours ahead during the British summer. When it is noon in London it is either 9:00 PM or 8:00 PM the same evening in Tokyo. Tokyo is always the later clock, and because Japan never changes its time, every shift in the gap comes from the United Kingdom.
- Tokyo is 9 hours ahead of London in the UK winter and 8 hours ahead in the UK summer.
- London runs on GMT (UTC+0) in winter and BST (UTC+1) in summer.
- Tokyo runs on JST (UTC+9) all year and does not use Daylight Saving Time.
- The gap changes only because London moves its clocks — Tokyo never does.
- The best window for a live call is the early London morning, which is the Tokyo late afternoon.
What Is the Time Difference Between London and Tokyo?
The difference is either 9 hours or 8 hours, with Tokyo ahead. Japan sits in Japan Standard Time (JST), a fixed UTC+9 offset that stays the same all year. London, meanwhile, switches between Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+0) in winter and British Summer Time (UTC+1) in the warmer months.
So the maths is simple: when London is on winter time the gap is the full 9 hours, and when London springs forward for the summer the gap shrinks by an hour to 8 hours. It is never 10 hours, and Tokyo is never behind London.
London and Tokyo at a Glance
| City | Winter | Summer | Zone names |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | UTC+00:00 | UTC+01:00 | GMT / BST |
| Tokyo | UTC+09:00 | UTC+09:00 | JST (no DST) |
To see the live offset and whether Daylight Saving Time is currently in effect in London, open the London clock or Tokyo clock on this site — the UTC offset is shown next to the clock.
What Time Is It in Tokyo When It Is… in London?
Using the standard 9-hour winter difference, here is how a London day lines up with Tokyo. Because Tokyo is so far ahead, London afternoons and evenings fall on the next calendar day in Japan:
| London | Tokyo (UK winter) |
|---|---|
| 06:00 (6:00 AM) | 15:00 (3:00 PM) |
| 09:00 (9:00 AM) | 18:00 (6:00 PM) |
| 12:00 (noon) | 21:00 (9:00 PM) |
| 15:00 (3:00 PM) | 00:00 (midnight, next day) |
| 17:00 (5:00 PM) | 02:00 (2:00 AM, next day) |
| 20:00 (8:00 PM) | 05:00 (5:00 AM, next day) |
| 23:00 (11:00 PM) | 08:00 (8:00 AM, next day) |
During British Summer Time (late March to late October) subtract one hour from the Tokyo column — the gap is then 8 hours, so London noon is 8:00 PM in Tokyo.
Why the Gap Changes by an Hour
The whole change comes from London, not Tokyo. The United Kingdom moves its clocks forward on the last Sunday of March and back on the last Sunday of October. Japan abolished Daylight Saving Time decades ago and has kept a single fixed offset ever since, so Tokyo never shifts:
- UK winter (late October to late March). London is on GMT (UTC+0) and Tokyo is on JST (UTC+9), so Tokyo is 9 hours ahead.
- UK summer (late March to late October). London moves to BST (UTC+1) while Tokyo stays on UTC+9, so the gap narrows to 8 hours.
| Period | London | Tokyo | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK winter | GMT (UTC+0) | JST (UTC+9) | 9 hours |
| UK summer | BST (UTC+1) | JST (UTC+9) | 8 hours |
For more on why Japan keeps the same time all year, see Why Japan Does Not Use DST, and for the UK clock changes themselves, see What Is Daylight Saving Time?
Best Time to Schedule a Call or Meeting
London and Tokyo are nearly on opposite sides of the working day, so the overlap is short. The most reliable window is the early London morning, which lands in the Tokyo late afternoon just before the Japanese workday ends. Around 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM in London works well for both sides.
- 8:00 AM London = 5:00 PM Tokyo in winter, 4:00 PM in summer — Tokyo is wrapping up the afternoon.
- 9:00 AM London = 6:00 PM Tokyo in winter, 5:00 PM in summer — still inside Tokyo office hours.
- 9:30 AM London = 6:30 PM Tokyo in winter, 5:30 PM in summer — about the latest comfortable slot for Japan.
Avoid the London afternoon for live calls: by 2:00 PM in London it is already late evening in Tokyo, and London evenings fall in the middle of the Japanese night. For a fuller look at bridging the continents, see Best Time for Meetings Between Europe and Asia.
Quick Mental Math
To convert in your head, remember that Tokyo is ahead of London:
- London time + 9 = Tokyo time in the UK winter.
- London time + 8 = Tokyo time during British Summer Time.
- If adding the hours pushes past midnight, Tokyo has already moved on to the next calendar day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tokyo ahead of or behind London?
Tokyo is ahead — by 8 or 9 hours. Japan is one of the first major economies to start each new day, well before the UK wakes up.
How many hours is Tokyo ahead of London?
9 hours during the UK winter and 8 hours during the UK summer (British Summer Time), because London changes its clocks while Tokyo does not.
When it is 12:00 noon in London, what time is it in Tokyo?
9:00 PM (21:00) using the standard 9-hour winter difference, or 8:00 PM (20:00) when London is on British Summer Time.
Does Tokyo observe Daylight Saving Time?
No. Japan does not use Daylight Saving Time, so Tokyo stays on UTC+9 all year. See Why Japan Does Not Use DST.
What is the best time to call between London and Tokyo?
The early London morning (about 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM), which is the Tokyo late afternoon. See How to Schedule Meetings Across Time Zones.