Share of the population using the Internet in Japan
Japan: Share of the population using the Internet was 85.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Japan, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population using the internet in Japan is 85.5%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and down 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Japan peaked at 93.2% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
Japan ranks 84th of 208 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in Japan, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1991 | 0.0% | +99.0% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | +139.4% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | +314.7% |
| 1994 | 0.8% | +99.5% |
| 1995 | 1.6% | +98.8% |
| 1996 | 4.4% | +174.8% |
| 1997 | 9.2% | +109.6% |
| 1998 | 13.4% | +46.3% |
| 1999 | 21.4% | +59.7% |
| 2000 | 30.0% | +40.1% |
| 2001 | 38.5% | +28.5% |
| 2002 | 46.6% | +20.9% |
| 2003 | 48.4% | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 62.4% | +28.8% |
| 2005 | 66.9% | +7.3% |
| 2006 | 68.7% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 74.3% | +8.2% |
| 2008 | 75.4% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 78.0% | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 78.2% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 79.1% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 79.5% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 88.2% | +11.0% |
| 2014 | 89.1% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 91.1% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 93.2% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 91.7% | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 88.7% | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 92.7% | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 90.2% | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 82.9% | -8.1% |
| 2022 | 84.9% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 85.0% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 85.5% | +0.6% |
Japan compared with similar countries
- Japan's 85.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 93.1%, 92% of the median. (78 countries reporting)
- Japan's 85.5% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 80.5%, 1.1× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population using the Internet 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +314.7% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 1996 | +174.8% | 1.6% | 4.4% |
| 1992 | +139.4% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1997 | +109.6% | 4.4% | 9.2% |
| 1994 | +99.5% | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| 1991 | +99.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.1% | 0.0% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 58.9% | 30.0% | 78.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 87.2% | 78.2% | 93.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 85.7% | 82.9% | 90.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Japan
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 capita 1.78 units per person (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population using the internet in Japan?
- Share of the population using the internet in Japan was 85.5% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Japan?
- The highest recorded value was 93.2% in 2016.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Japan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Japan rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Japan ranks 84th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Japan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.0%. 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), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.