What is the name of the time zone used in Tokyo, Japan?

The time zone used in Tokyo, Japan, is Japan Standard Time. It is abbreviated JST and is set at UTC+09:00, meaning clocks in Tokyo are nine hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time.

Japan uses one standard time zone across the country, despite stretching across considerable east-west territory. The system was introduced nationally in 1888, and Japan does not currently observe daylight saving time. As a result, Tokyo keeps the same clock time throughout the year.

Japan Standard Time is based on the 135th meridian east, which passes through the city of Akashi in Hyogo Prefecture. Tokyo lies somewhat east of that meridian, but the entire country follows the same national standard. During the Japanese Empire, the time zone was sometimes called Tokyo Standard Time, but Japan Standard Time is the modern official name.

A common mix-up is confusing JST with Tokyo Time or with Greenwich Mean Time. Tokyo Time is an informal description, while GMT is the historical reference at UTC+00:00. Several other places, including South Korea and parts of Indonesia and Russia, also share UTC+09:00, though their time-zone names differ.