Does it account for Daylight Saving Time?

Yes, our converter uses the IANA timezone database, which includes all current DST rules for every timezone in the world.

UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks. All timezones are defined as offsets from UTC.

Can I compare multiple timezones at once?

Yes, you can add multiple cities or timezones and see the equivalent times side by side.

How many timezones are there in the world?

There are 38 distinct UTC offsets in use, ranging from UTC-12 to UTC+14. This includes half-hour (UTC+5:30 India, UTC+9:30 Australia) and 45-minute offsets (UTC+5:45 Nepal, UTC+8:45 Australia).

What is the International Date Line?

The International Date Line (IDL) runs roughly along the 180° meridian in the Pacific Ocean. When you cross it westward, you gain a day; crossing eastward, you lose a day.

Why do some timezones have 30 or 45 minute offsets?

Countries chose offsets that best matched their solar noon. India uses UTC+5:30 and Nepal uses UTC+5:45 because standard hourly offsets didn't align well with their geography.

Which country has the most timezones?

France has the most (12 timezones) due to overseas territories. Russia spans 11 timezones. The US has 6 (including Hawaii and Alaska).

WAT to Japan

+8h

WAT

WATSOURCE

UTC+01:00

HH12

MM00

12:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Japan

JST

UTC+09:00

HH08

MM00

20:00 (24-hr)

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM

Quick Reference

Time Conversion Table

WAT

Japan

12:00 AM

8:00 AM

2:00 AM

10:00 AM

4:00 AM

12:00 PM

6:00 AM

2:00 PM

8:00 AM

4:00 PM

10:00 AM

6:00 PM

12:00 PM

8:00 PM

2:00 PM

10:00 PM

4:00 PM

12:00 AM+1

6:00 PM

2:00 AM+1

8:00 PM

4:00 AM+1

10:00 PM

6:00 AM+1

Green rows indicate typical business hours (9 AM - 5 PM)

WAT and JST on the World Map

The map below highlights the WAT (West Africa Time) and JST (Japan Standard Time) timezone regions across the globe.

WAT Zone

→

JST Zone

Explore all world timezones interactively →

WAT – West Africa Time

UTC+01:00

West Africa Time (WAT) is the time zone for West and Central Africa, 1 hour ahead of UTC.

Countries in WAT

NigeriaCameroonChadCongoAngolaNigerGabonEquatorial Guinea

Major Cities in WAT

LagosAbujaDoualaYaoundéLuandaKinshasaBrazzaville

Key Facts about WAT

•Lagos, Nigeria is the most populous city in Africa.
•WAT is the same offset as CET (UTC+01:00).
•Nigeria does not observe daylight saving time.

Daylight Saving:No – UTC+01:00 year-round

Learn more about WAT on Wikipedia

JST – Japan Standard Time

UTC+09:00

Japan Standard Time (JST) is the time zone for Japan, 9 hours ahead of UTC.

Countries in JST

Japan

Major Cities in JST

TokyoOsakaYokohamaNagoyaSapporoKyotoKobeFukuokaHiroshima

Key Facts about JST

•Japan does not observe daylight saving time.
•Tokyo is the most populous metropolitan area in the world.
•The Tokyo Stock Exchange operates from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM JST.
•JST is 14 hours ahead of EST and 9 hours ahead of GMT.

Daylight Saving:No – UTC+09:00 year-round

Learn more about JST on Wikipedia

WAT vs Japan: Offsets, DST and Best Call Times

WAT runs on West Africa Time (WAT) at UTC+01:00. Japan runs on Japan Standard Time (JST) at UTC+09:00. That puts WAT 8 hours ahead of Japan — a difference of +8h at the current offsets.

In practice, when it is 9:00 AM in WAT it is 5:00 PM in Japan. Midnight in WAT is 8:00 AM in Japan. Neither zone observes daylight saving time, so the offset between them stays constant all year.

WAT to Japan time conversion table

WAT (WAT)	Japan (JST)	Day
12:00 AM	8:00 AM	same day
6:00 AM	2:00 PM	same day
7:00 AM	3:00 PM	same day
8:00 AM	4:00 PM	same day
9:00 AM	5:00 PM	same day
12:00 PM	8:00 PM	same day
3:00 PM	11:00 PM	same day
5:00 PM	1:00 AM	next day
6:00 PM	2:00 AM	next day
9:00 PM	5:00 AM	next day

Why people convert WAT to Japan time

Scheduling a call from WAT to Japan: a 10:00 AM start in WAT lands at 6:00 PM in Japan, so you can confirm the slot without doing the arithmetic yourself.
Handling a +8h gap: WAT and Japan have no overlap inside a normal 9-to-5 day, so real-time meetings need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side. 9:00 AM in Japan is 5:00 PM in WAT.
Keeping family and friends in sync: knowing that 8:00 PM in WAT is 4:00 AM in Japan makes it easy to avoid calling at 3 AM.

Always state the zone abbreviation, not just the hour. "3:00 PM WAT" is unambiguous; "3 PM" across a +8h gap is not.
With a +8h gap there is no shared 9-to-5 window, so alternate the early start: one week WAT takes the early slot, the next week Japan does.

About WAT (West Africa Time)

West Africa Time (WAT) is used across much of West and Central Africa, including Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa. WAT does not observe daylight saving time and shares the same offset as Central European Time (CET).

About JST (Japan Standard Time)

Japan Standard Time (JST) is the standard time zone for all of Japan. Japan does not observe daylight saving time. JST is 9 hours ahead of UTC and 14 hours ahead of EST. The Tokyo Stock Exchange, the world's third largest by market capitalization, operates on JST. South Korea uses the same offset (KST) but it is a distinct time zone.

Best time to call between WAT and Japan

With a +8h offset there is no overlap inside a normal 9 AM – 5 PM day. Japan opens at 9:00 AM JST, which is 5:00 PM in WAT, so real-time calls need an early-morning or late-evening slot on one side.

Business hours overlap

WAT and Japan have no shared working hours because of the +8h gap. Teams need to alternate early starts or rely on asynchronous handovers.

WAT is 8 hours ahead of Japan (WAT UTC+01:00 → JST UTC+09:00). There is no shared 9-to-5 window, so plan around an early or late slot. Remember to re-check around daylight-saving transitions.

Learn More About Time

Dive deeper into the fascinating world of timekeeping, time zones, and how they shape our global society:

⏳

History of Timekeeping

From sundials to atomic clocks - 5000 years of measuring time

🌍

How Time Zones Work

UTC, offsets, and why zones don't follow straight lines

☀️

Daylight Saving Time

DST dates, which countries observe it, and the ongoing debate

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time difference between WAT and Japan?

WAT (WAT, UTC+01:00) is 8 hours ahead of Japan (JST, UTC+09:00). The gap is currently +8h.

How do I convert WAT time to Japan time?

Add +8h to WAT local time. For example, 9:00 AM in WAT is 5:00 PM in Japan.

What time is it in Japan right now?

Japan uses JST at UTC+09:00. Use the live converter at the top of this page — it updates in real time and already accounts for the +8h offset from WAT.