  Motivated by the advantages of observing at near-IR wavelengths, we
investigate Type II supernovae (SNe II) as distance indicators at those
wavelengths through the Photospheric Magnitude Method (PMM). For the analysis,
we use $BVIJH$ photometry and optical spectroscopy of 24 SNe II during the
photospheric phase. To correct photometry for extinction and redshift effects,
we compute total-to-selective broadband extinction ratios and $K$-corrections
up to $z=0.032$. To estimate host galaxy colour excesses, we use the
colour-colour curve method with the $V\!-\!I$ versus $B\!-\!V$ as colour
combination. We calibrate the PMM using four SNe II in galaxies having Tip of
the Red Giant Branch distances. Among our 24 SNe II, nine are at $cz>2000$ km
s$^{-1}$, which we use to construct Hubble diagrams (HDs). To further explore
the PMM distance precision, we include into HDs the four SNe used for
calibration and other two in galaxies with Cepheid and SN Ia distances. With a
set of 15 SNe II we obtain a HD rms of 0.13 mag for the $J$-band, which
compares to the rms of 0.15-0.26 mag for optical bands. This reflects the
benefits of measuring PMM distances with near-IR instead of optical photometry.
With the evidence we have, we can set the PMM distance precision with $J$-band
below 10 per cent with a confidence level of 99 per cent.
