Adoption of communication technologies in Japan
Japan: Adoption of communication technologies was 59.33 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
59.33 million
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
3rd
of 212 countries
All-time high
66.79 million
in 2009
All-time low
3.63 million
in 1960
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Adoption of communication technologies in Japan, 1960–2023
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, adoption of communication technologies in Japan stood at 59.33 million.
That represents a change of down 1.9% on the previous year and down 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adoption of communication technologies in Japan peaked at 66.79 million in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3.63 million, in 1960.
Japan ranks 3rd of 212 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Adoption of communication technologies in Japan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.63 million | — |
| 1961 | 3.63 million | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 3.63 million | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 3.63 million | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 3.63 million | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 7.40 million | +103.7% |
| 1966 | 7.40 million | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 7.40 million | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 7.40 million | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 7.40 million | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 16.40 million | +121.7% |
| 1971 | 16.40 million | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 16.40 million | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 16.40 million | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 16.40 million | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 32.38 million | +97.4% |
| 1976 | 34.44 million | +6.4% |
| 1977 | 35.84 million | +4.0% |
| 1978 | 37.21 million | +3.8% |
| 1979 | 38.61 million | +3.8% |
| 1980 | 39.93 million | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 40.28 million | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 41.50 million | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 42.88 million | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 43.96 million | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 45.30 million | +3.1% |
| 1986 | 46.77 million | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 48.42 million | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 50.34 million | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 52.45 million | +4.2% |
| 1990 | 54.53 million | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 56.26 million | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 57.65 million | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 58.83 million | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 60.69 million | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 62.29 million | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 64.04 million | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 65.73 million | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 62.41 million | -5.1% |
| 1999 | 62.05 million | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 61.96 million | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 61.33 million | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 60.77 million | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 60.22 million | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 59.61 million | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 58.05 million | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 56.03 million | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 51.23 million | -8.6% |
| 2008 | 48.43 million | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 66.79 million | +37.9% |
| 2010 | 65.62 million | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 64.67 million | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 64.23 million | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 64.02 million | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 63.56 million | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 63.71 million | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 64.13 million | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 63.95 million | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 63.44 million | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 62.74 million | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 61.98 million | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 61.43 million | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 60.50 million | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 59.33 million | -1.9% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 59.33 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 445,236, 133.2× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Japan's 59.33 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 81,260, 730.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adoption of communication technologies in Japan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | +121.7% | 7.40 million | 16.40 million |
| 1965 | +103.7% | 3.63 million | 7.40 million |
| 1975 | +97.4% | 16.40 million | 32.38 million |
| 2009 | +37.9% | 48.43 million | 66.79 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.52 million | 3.63 million | 7.40 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.05 million | 16.40 million | 38.61 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 45.18 million | 39.93 million | 52.45 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 60.45 million | 54.53 million | 65.73 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.44 million | 48.43 million | 66.79 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.01 million | 62.74 million | 65.62 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 60.81 million | 59.33 million | 61.98 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
More reference data data for Japan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.981 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3629 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.16 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 23.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adoption of communication technologies in Japan?
- Adoption of communication technologies in Japan was 59.33 million in 2023, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest adoption of communication technologies recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 66.79 million in 2009.
- What is the lowest adoption of communication technologies recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.63 million in 1960.
- How does Japan rank for adoption of communication technologies?
- Japan ranks 3rd out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is adoption of communication technologies rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Adoption of communication technologies. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).