Mobile cellular subscriptions in Japan
Japan: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 178.43 per 100 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Japan, 1960–2023
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions in Japan is 178.43 per 100 people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.8% on the previous year and up 54.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Japan peaked at 178.43 per 100 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
That places Japan 11th out of 214 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Japan, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1970 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1975 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1976 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1977 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1979 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1980 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1981 | 0.0112 per 100 people | — |
| 1982 | 0.0166 per 100 people | +48.3% |
| 1983 | 0.0227 per 100 people | +36.5% |
| 1984 | 0.0335 per 100 people | +47.7% |
| 1985 | 0.051 per 100 people | +52.2% |
| 1986 | 0.0782 per 100 people | +53.2% |
| 1987 | 0.1233 per 100 people | +57.8% |
| 1988 | 0.1978 per 100 people | +60.4% |
| 1989 | 0.3971 per 100 people | +100.8% |
| 1990 | 0.7018 per 100 people | +76.7% |
| 1991 | 1.11 per 100 people | +58.3% |
| 1992 | 1.38 per 100 people | +23.9% |
| 1993 | 1.71 per 100 people | +24.1% |
| 1994 | 3.46 per 100 people | +102.7% |
| 1995 | 9.34 per 100 people | +169.7% |
| 1996 | 21.4 per 100 people | +129.2% |
| 1997 | 30.35 per 100 people | +41.8% |
| 1998 | 37.45 per 100 people | +23.4% |
| 1999 | 44.92 per 100 people | +19.9% |
| 2000 | 52.57 per 100 people | +17.0% |
| 2001 | 58.79 per 100 people | +11.8% |
| 2002 | 63.63 per 100 people | +8.2% |
| 2003 | 67.87 per 100 people | +6.7% |
| 2004 | 71.57 per 100 people | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 75.43 per 100 people | +5.4% |
| 2006 | 77.99 per 100 people | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 83.8 per 100 people | +7.5% |
| 2008 | 86.14 per 100 people | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 90.72 per 100 people | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 96.18 per 100 people | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 103.64 per 100 people | +7.8% |
| 2012 | 110.32 per 100 people | +6.4% |
| 2013 | 115.79 per 100 people | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 123.82 per 100 people | +6.9% |
| 2015 | 126.15 per 100 people | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 131.22 per 100 people | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 135.99 per 100 people | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 141.73 per 100 people | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 147.21 per 100 people | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 154.43 per 100 people | +4.9% |
| 2021 | 159.52 per 100 people | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 168.6 per 100 people | +5.7% |
| 2023 | 178.43 per 100 people | +5.8% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 178.43 per 100 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 125.74 per 100 people, 1.4× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Japan's 178.43 per 100 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 115.3 per 100 people, 1.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +169.7% | 3.46 per 100 people | 9.34 per 100 people |
| 1996 | +129.2% | 9.34 per 100 people | 21.4 per 100 people |
| 1994 | +102.7% | 1.71 per 100 people | 3.46 per 100 people |
| 1989 | +100.8% | 0.1978 per 100 people | 0.3971 per 100 people |
| 1990 | +76.7% | 0.3971 per 100 people | 0.7018 per 100 people |
| 1988 | +60.4% | 0.1233 per 100 people | 0.1978 per 100 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.0932 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0.3971 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.18 per 100 people | 0.7018 per 100 people | 44.92 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.85 per 100 people | 52.57 per 100 people | 90.72 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 123.2 per 100 people | 96.18 per 100 people | 147.21 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 165.25 per 100 people | 154.43 per 100 people | 178.43 per 100 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 8 Russia 186.1 per 100 people compare
- 9 Cote d'Ivoire 183.88 per 100 people compare
- 10 South Africa 179.34 per 100 people compare
- 12 Israel 177.39 per 100 people compare
- 13 El Salvador 176.52 per 100 people compare
- 14 Colombia 174.09 per 100 people compare
More infrastructure data for Japan
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 221.92 million (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 59.33 million (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 47.7 per 100 people (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.4765 units per person (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -1.94 % change on previous year (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 59.33 million (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.78 units per person (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 221.92 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Japan?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Japan was 178.43 per 100 people in 2023, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 178.43 per 100 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does Japan rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Japan ranks 11th out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 54.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 52 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the PSTN using cellular technology. The indicator includes (and is split into) the number of postpaid subscriptions, and the number of active prepaid accounts (i.e. that have been used during the last three months). The indicator applies to all mobile cellular subscriptions that offer voice communications. It excludes subscriptions via data cards or USB modems, subscriptions to public mobile data services, private trunked mobile radio, telepoint, radio paging and telemetry services.