Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in Japan
Japan: Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita was 1.78 units per person in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in Japan, 1980–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.
Analysis
Japan recorded 1.78 units per person for mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in 2023. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
The figure is up 5.8% on the previous year and up 53.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in Japan peaked at 1.78 units per person in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0 units per person, in 1980.
Japan ranks 11th of 212 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in Japan, year by year
| Year | units per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1981 | 0.0001 units per person | — |
| 1982 | 0.0002 units per person | +48.2% |
| 1983 | 0.0002 units per person | +36.4% |
| 1984 | 0.0003 units per person | +47.6% |
| 1985 | 0.0005 units per person | +52.0% |
| 1986 | 0.0008 units per person | +53.1% |
| 1987 | 0.0012 units per person | +57.7% |
| 1988 | 0.002 units per person | +60.4% |
| 1989 | 0.004 units per person | +100.8% |
| 1990 | 0.007 units per person | +76.7% |
| 1991 | 0.0111 units per person | +58.1% |
| 1992 | 0.0138 units per person | +23.8% |
| 1993 | 0.0171 units per person | +24.1% |
| 1994 | 0.0346 units per person | +102.7% |
| 1995 | 0.0933 units per person | +169.8% |
| 1996 | 0.214 units per person | +129.2% |
| 1997 | 0.3035 units per person | +41.8% |
| 1998 | 0.3743 units per person | +23.3% |
| 1999 | 0.4489 units per person | +19.9% |
| 2000 | 0.5265 units per person | +17.3% |
| 2001 | 0.5884 units per person | +11.8% |
| 2002 | 0.6365 units per person | +8.2% |
| 2003 | 0.6785 units per person | +6.6% |
| 2004 | 0.716 units per person | +5.5% |
| 2005 | 0.7551 units per person | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 0.7808 units per person | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 0.8386 units per person | +7.4% |
| 2008 | 0.862 units per person | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 0.9082 units per person | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 0.9627 units per person | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 1.04 units per person | +7.9% |
| 2012 | 1.11 units per person | +6.5% |
| 2013 | 1.16 units per person | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 1.24 units per person | +6.9% |
| 2015 | 1.26 units per person | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 1.31 units per person | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 1.36 units per person | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 1.42 units per person | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 1.47 units per person | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 1.54 units per person | +4.9% |
| 2021 | 1.6 units per person | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 1.68 units per person | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 1.78 units per person | +5.8% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 1.78 units per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.25 units per person, 1.4× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Japan's 1.78 units per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.15 units per person, 1.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 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 | +169.8% | 0.0346 units per person | 0.0933 units per person |
| 1996 | +129.2% | 0.0933 units per person | 0.214 units per person |
| 1994 | +102.7% | 0.0171 units per person | 0.0346 units per person |
| 1989 | +100.8% | 0.002 units per person | 0.004 units per person |
| 1990 | +76.7% | 0.004 units per person | 0.007 units per person |
| 1988 | +60.4% | 0.0012 units per person | 0.002 units per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0009 units per person | 0 units per person | 0.004 units per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1518 units per person | 0.007 units per person | 0.4489 units per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7291 units per person | 0.5265 units per person | 0.9082 units per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.23 units per person | 0.9627 units per person | 1.47 units per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.65 units per person | 1.54 units per person | 1.78 units per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Japan
- 8 Russia 1.88 units per person compare
- 9 Cote d'Ivoire 1.84 units per person compare
- 10 South Africa 1.79 units per person compare
- 12 El Salvador 1.77 units per person compare
- 13 Mauritius 1.76 units per person compare
- 14 Colombia 1.74 units per person compare
More science & technology data for Japan
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 178.43 (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 221.92 million (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 608.71 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 5.83 % change on previous year (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.3 % change on previous year (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 96,543 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0008 units per person (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in Japan?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in Japan was 1.78 units per person in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.78 units per person in 2023.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 units per person in 1980.
- How does Japan rank for mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita?
- Japan ranks 11th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Japan data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 44 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Mobile phone subscriptions International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.