Japan vs United States: Mobile phone subscriptions
Japan
221.92 million
in 2023
United States
390.99 million
in 2024
Japan rank
6th
United States rank
3rd
Mobile phone subscriptions over time
- Japan
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 390.99 million against 221.92 million in Japan, a difference of 169.07 million.
That makes United States's figure about 1.8 times Japan's.
Across all 41 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.
Japan ranks 6th and United States ranks 3rd of 212 countries.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Japan | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 154,363 | 1.13 million | 977,477 | United States |
| 1990s | 19.14 million | 35.24 million | 16.10 million | United States |
| 2000s | 93.12 million | 194.34 million | 101.22 million | United States |
| 2010s | 156.95 million | 323.51 million | 166.56 million | United States |
| 2020s | 207.05 million | 367.96 million | 160.91 million | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher mobile phone subscriptions, Japan or United States?
- United States, at 390.99 million against 221.92 million in Japan as of 2024.
- What is the difference in mobile phone subscriptions between Japan and United States?
- 169.07 million, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and United States?
- 41 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do Japan and United States rank globally for mobile phone subscriptions?
- Japan ranks 6th and United States ranks 3rd of 212 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Mobile phone subscriptions. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.