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Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Japan

Japan: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 178.43 per 100 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
178.43 per 100 people
Change on year
up 5.8%
World rank
11th
of 212 countries
All-time high
178.43 per 100 people
in 2023
All-time low
0 per 100 people
in 1980
Years of data
44
1980–2023

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Japan, 1980–2023

0501001502001980200120231980: 0 per 100 people1981: 0.011 per 100 people1982: 0.017 per 100 people1983: 0.023 per 100 people1984: 0.034 per 100 people1985: 0.051 per 100 people1986: 0.078 per 100 people1987: 0.123 per 100 people1988: 0.198 per 100 people1989: 0.397 per 100 people1990: 0.702 per 100 people1991: 1.1 per 100 people1992: 1.4 per 100 people1993: 1.7 per 100 people1994: 3.5 per 100 people1995: 9.3 per 100 people1996: 21.4 per 100 people1997: 30.4 per 100 people1998: 37.5 per 100 people1999: 44.9 per 100 people2000: 52.6 per 100 people2001: 58.8 per 100 people2002: 63.6 per 100 people2003: 67.9 per 100 people2004: 71.6 per 100 people2005: 75.4 per 100 people2006: 78 per 100 people2007: 83.8 per 100 people2008: 86.1 per 100 people2009: 90.7 per 100 people2010: 96.2 per 100 people2011: 103.6 per 100 people2012: 110.3 per 100 people2013: 115.8 per 100 people2014: 123.8 per 100 people2015: 126.2 per 100 people2016: 131.2 per 100 people2017: 136 per 100 people2018: 141.7 per 100 people2019: 147.2 per 100 people2020: 154.4 per 100 people2021: 159.5 per 100 people2022: 168.6 per 100 people2023: 178.4 per 100 people

Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Japan is 178.43 per 100 people, measured 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 54.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Japan peaked at 178.43 per 100 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, 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 phone subscriptions per 100 people in Japan, year by year

Year per 100 people Change
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 phone subscriptions per 100 people 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
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

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
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

  1. 8 Russia 186.1 per 100 people compare
  2. 9 Cote d'Ivoire 183.88 per 100 people compare
  3. 10 South Africa 179.34 per 100 people compare
  4. 12 Israel 177.39 per 100 people compare
  5. 13 El Salvador 176.52 per 100 people compare
  6. 14 Colombia 174.09 per 100 people compare

See the full ranking of 212 places →

More science & technology data for Japan

All data for Japan →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Japan?
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Japan was 178.43 per 100 people in 2023, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in Japan?
The highest recorded value was 178.43 per 100 people in 2023.
What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in Japan?
The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1980.
How does Japan rank for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
Japan ranks 11th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
Is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people 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 International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people 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://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-per-100-people-2/japan/

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About this data

Indicator
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people
Unit
per 100 people
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, 8,985 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed

This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.