Time Difference Between London and Tokyo
Tokyo is 8 hours ahead of London in summer, and 9 hours ahead in winter — because Japan doesn't observe daylight saving time, only London shifts.
At a glance
| London (BST, summer) | Tokyo (JST, year-round) |
|---|---|
| 6 AM | 2 PM |
| 8 AM | 4 PM |
| 9 AM | 5 PM |
| 12 PM (noon) | 8 PM |
| 3 PM | 11 PM |
| 5 PM | 1 AM (next day) |
| 7 PM | 3 AM (next day) |
| 10 PM | 6 AM (next day) |
Times shown assume British Summer Time (BST), which applies from the last Sunday of March to the last Sunday of October. In winter (when London is on GMT), add 1 hour to every Tokyo time in the table.
Why the gap is sometimes 8 hours, sometimes 9
This pair has an unusual quirk: only one of the two cities ever shifts its clock. Japan abandoned daylight saving time in 1951 and has stayed on JST (UTC+9) ever since. The UK still shifts. So the gap between London and Tokyo doesn't change because of anything Tokyo does — it changes only because of what London does:
- Last Sunday of March: London clocks shift forward to BST. The London-Tokyo gap drops from 9 hours to 8 hours.
- Last Sunday of October: London clocks shift back to GMT. The gap widens to 9 hours again.
There's no "shoulder week" confusion like you get with US ↔ UK pairs (where both sides shift on different dates). For London-Tokyo, the transition is clean and happens twice a year, exactly when London changes. Our Time Zone Converter handles the date automatically.
Best times to schedule a meeting
The London-Tokyo overlap is brutal — both sides keeping standard 9-to-5 hours never share a working hour. Realistic options:
- 8 AM London / 4 PM Tokyo (summer), 5 PM Tokyo (winter) — London's early morning catches the last hour of Tokyo's workday. The most common default.
- 9 AM London / 5 PM Tokyo (summer), 6 PM Tokyo (winter) — slightly later for London but Tokyo is already winding down.
- 7 AM London / 3 PM Tokyo (summer), 4 PM Tokyo (winter) — earlier London start; works if you're willing to take a call before getting to the office.
Any London time after 10 AM means Tokyo is at 7 PM or later — possible but you're asking someone to take a meeting in their evening. Many teams trading between London and Tokyo just accept that one side always shifts their schedule. For coordinating with people in additional cities, the Meeting Planner shows the working-hours overlap visually so you can spot the least-bad column at a glance.
Travel and jet lag notes
The 8-9 hour gap and the long flight (~12 hours direct) makes London-Tokyo one of the harder jet lag routes for both directions. A common pattern:
- London → Tokyo (eastbound): Usually the harder direction. You arrive having "lost" most of a day. Try to stay awake until local bedtime in Tokyo — sleeping immediately on arrival is the classic mistake that wrecks the first three days.
- Tokyo → London (westbound): Easier direction. You arrive in London earlier in the day than you left Tokyo (clock-wise) and the day feels long. Caffeine + sunlight in the early afternoon helps anchor the new schedule.
For both directions, allow 4-6 days for full adjustment. Business travelers often book a buffer day on arrival rather than meeting straight off the plane.
Quick cultural note on business hours
Tokyo's standard business day runs 9 AM to 6 PM, similar to London's. The difference: many Tokyo offices keep someone late, so a 6-7 PM Tokyo call (10-11 AM London) is sometimes workable if pre-arranged. Friday afternoon Tokyo time (Friday morning London) is when most international scheduling happens.
Frequently asked questions
What time zone is Tokyo in?
Tokyo uses Japan Standard Time (JST, UTC+9) all year round. Japan does not observe daylight saving time — the clocks never shift.
What time zone is London in?
London uses GMT (Greenwich Mean Time, UTC+0) in winter and BST (British Summer Time, UTC+1) in summer. The shift happens on the last Sunday of March and the last Sunday of October.
Is Tokyo 8 or 9 hours ahead of London?
8 hours from late March to late October (when London is on BST), and 9 hours from late October to late March (when London is on GMT). Japan itself doesn't shift — only London does.
What time is 9 AM London in Tokyo?
5 PM Tokyo in summer (BST), 6 PM Tokyo in winter (GMT). For an exact answer on any specific date, use our Time Zone Converter.
When is the best time to call from London to Tokyo?
Early in London's morning is the only realistic overlap. 8-10 AM London is 4-6 PM Tokyo in summer (5-7 PM in winter) — the end of Tokyo's working day. Any later from London and Tokyo is into the evening or after work.
Why doesn't Japan observe daylight saving time?
Japan tried DST briefly after World War II but abandoned it in 1951 amid public opposition. Since then, multiple proposals to reintroduce it (including ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics) have been rejected. The country stays on UTC+9 year-round.
See live times and convert exact moments
For the live, currently-ticking time in both cities (and 60+ others), see the World Clock. To convert any specific date and time, use the Time Zone Converter — it handles daylight saving transitions automatically. For coordinating a meeting across more than two cities, the Meeting Planner shows everyone's working-hours overlap visually.