An AppleScript to tweak OS X Address Book telephone country codes for Japan

10 Sep 2007

Unlike every else in the world, Japanese mobile networks spit out any attempt to dial standardized +Country Code formatted telephone numbers. This means if you're in Japan and want to have a chat with George at +1 202 456 1414 you have to substitute +1 with the international access 010 (for Softbank) and country code 1. This is annoying enough in Japan but becomes infuriating if, like me, you do a lot of international travel and need to be able to switch back to +Country Code formatting.

Fortunately Japanese Nokia's provide an extra phone setting to automatically handle +Country Code formatting when you're in Japan but if you using another mobile, I've whipped up a wee AppleScript that can switch between international and local Japanese telephone number formats in your OS X Address Book:

Selecting Localize converts

+1 202 456 1414

to

010 1 202 456 1414

and

+81 6 1234 1234

to

06 1234 1234

Selecting Internationalize converts

010 1 202 456 1414

back to

+1 202 456 1414

and

06 1234 1234

back to

+81 6 1234 1234.

Of course you then have to deal with the messy task of synchronizing your Japanese mobile with OS X but I'll save that for another rant.