Statizoid

Landline phone subscriptions in Japan

Japan: Landline phone subscriptions 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

Landline phone subscriptions in Japan, 1960–2023

020.0M40.0M60.0M196019912023

Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Japan recorded 59.33 million for landline phone subscriptions in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 7.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, landline phone subscriptions in Japan peaked at 66.79 million in 2009 and was at its lowest, 3.63 million, in 1960.

That places Japan 3rd out of 212 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.

Landline phone subscriptions 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 Landline phone subscriptions 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.

YearChange FromTo
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

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 1 China 166.51 million compare
  2. 2 United States 81.55 million compare
  3. 4 India 39.24 million compare
  4. 5 Germany 38.40 million compare
  5. 6 France 37.28 million compare

See the full ranking of 212 places →

More reference data data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is landline phone subscriptions in Japan?
Landline phone subscriptions 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 landline phone subscriptions recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 66.79 million in 2009.
What is the lowest landline phone subscriptions recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 3.63 million in 1960.
How does Japan rank for landline phone subscriptions?
Japan ranks 3rd out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
Is landline phone subscriptions 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 Landline phone subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Landline phone subscriptions in Japan. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/landline-phone-subscriptions/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Landline phone subscriptions
Source
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
212 places, 11,803 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed