Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Japan
Japan: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 178.43 per 100 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Japan, 1980–2023
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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
- 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 science & technology data for Japan
- Scientific and technical journal articles 96,543 (2023)
- Mobile phone subscriptions 221.92 million (2023)
- Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people 178.43 per 100 people (2023)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 66,748 (2021)
- Share of the population using the Internet 85.5% (2024)
- Patent applications, residents 222,452 (2021)
- Research and development expenditure 3.4% (2023)
- Number of people using the Internet 104.21 million users (2021)
- Landline Internet subscriptions per 100 people 38.63 per 100 people (2023)
- Landline Internet subscriptions 48.05 million (2023)
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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 44 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.