Los Angeles and Tokyo: time difference and best meeting times
Tokyo is 16 hours ahead of Los Angeles for most of 2026. With a 9:00 to 17:00 working day in both places, you share between 0 hours and 1 hour each day, so the overlap needs protecting.
Shared working hours
The table assumes a working day of 9:00 to 17:00 in both cities. Times are local to each city. January and July show the two ends of the year, because daylight saving changes the picture.
| Season | Time difference | Shared hours | Shared window in Los Angeles | Shared window in Tokyo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January (15 January) | 17 hours | 1 hour | 16:00 to 17:00 (previous day) | 09:00 to 10:00 |
| July (15 July) | 16 hours | None | No shared hours | No shared hours |
Treat the shared window as scarce. Schedule the meetings that need both sides inside it, and keep each one short so there is room for more than one. A good default slot is 16:30 to 17:30 in Los Angeles, which is 08:30 to 09:30 (next day) in Tokyo. Everything that does not need a live conversation, such as status updates and reviews, works better as written messages that the other side reads at the start of their day.
With a longer day, 08:00 to 18:00
If people on both sides can start an hour earlier and finish an hour later, the shared time becomes 3 hours in January and 2 hours in July. In January that is 15:00 to 18:00 in Los Angeles, which is 08:00 to 11:00 (next day) in Tokyo. In July it is 16:00 to 18:00 in Los Angeles, which is 08:00 to 10:00 (next day) in Tokyo.
Plan a meeting for Los Angeles and Tokyo
How the difference changes in 2026
| Dates | Difference |
|---|---|
| 1 January to 7 March | Tokyo is 17 hours ahead of Los Angeles |
| 8 March to 31 October | Tokyo is 16 hours ahead of Los Angeles |
| 1 November to 31 December | Tokyo is 17 hours ahead of Los Angeles |
The gap between Los Angeles and Tokyo is not constant. United States and Japan do not move their clocks on the same dates, so the difference changes 2 times in 2026. A meeting that sits comfortably in the shared window for part of the year can land outside it for a few weeks. Check the table above whenever you set a recurring meeting that spans a change.
Converting times between Los Angeles and Tokyo
Find a time in Los Angeles in the first column to see what it is in Tokyo in January and in July.
| Los Angeles | Tokyo in January | Tokyo in July |
|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | 00:00 (next day) | 23:00 |
| 08:00 | 01:00 (next day) | 00:00 (next day) |
| 09:00 | 02:00 (next day) | 01:00 (next day) |
| 10:00 | 03:00 (next day) | 02:00 (next day) |
| 11:00 | 04:00 (next day) | 03:00 (next day) |
| 12:00 | 05:00 (next day) | 04:00 (next day) |
| 13:00 | 06:00 (next day) | 05:00 (next day) |
| 14:00 | 07:00 (next day) | 06:00 (next day) |
| 15:00 | 08:00 (next day) | 07:00 (next day) |
| 16:00 | 09:00 (next day) | 08:00 (next day) |
| 17:00 | 10:00 (next day) | 09:00 (next day) |
| 18:00 | 11:00 (next day) | 10:00 (next day) |
| 19:00 | 12:00 (next day) | 11:00 (next day) |
Tips for teams in Los Angeles and Tokyo
- Name both cities in the invitation, for example "16:30 to 17:30 Los Angeles / 08:30 to 09:30 (next day) Tokyo".
- Check recurring meetings when clocks change. The gap is 17 hours instead of 16 hours for part of the year, so the shared window moves.
- Keep the shared 0 hours for meetings, and do focused work outside it.
Not the right pair? Compare up to four cities in the planner, or see our guide on cutting the cost of meetings.
Questions people ask
What is the time difference between Los Angeles and Tokyo?
Tokyo is 16 hours ahead of Los Angeles for most of 2026. It changes in some weeks because the two places change clocks on different dates: 1 January to 7 March, tokyo is 17 hours ahead of los angeles; 8 March to 31 October, tokyo is 16 hours ahead of los angeles; 1 November to 31 December, tokyo is 17 hours ahead of los angeles.
What time is it in Tokyo when it is 9:00 in Los Angeles?
In January it is 02:00 (next day) in Tokyo. In July it is 01:00 (next day).
Do Los Angeles and Tokyo have working hours in common?
Yes. On a 9:00 to 17:00 day they share 1 hour in January and no time in July.
Do Los Angeles and Tokyo change their clocks on the same day?
No. The difference between them takes 2 different values during 2026, so there are weeks when the gap is different from the rest of the year.