Japan Social Media Statistics 2024 | Most Popular Social Media Platforms

Japan Social Media Statistics 2024 | Most Popular Social Media Platforms

Over a decade ago, it wasn’t unusual to find that many people hadn’t heard of social media. A few years down the line, however, and you’ll have a hard time finding anyone who hasn’t got at least one social media profile. Across cultures and countries, over three-quarters of those aged between 16 and 64 are active on social media, with more than 4.62 billion active social media users around the world. This growth has happened at a rapid pace, with some countries seeing an increase in their use of social platforms by more than 20 percent every year since 2010.

Social Media in Japan

Social media has taken off in popularity in the Western world, with most people having accounts on multiple platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more. It has become such an integral part of our day-to-day lives, and its popularity continues to grow as new social platforms come out every year. What about social media in Japan? According to a recent survey, about 81.1% of Japanese are using social media, as per the latest stats. This is higher than what other countries across the globe has. And, importantly, more than 50% of them are connected to 3 or more social media accounts. Social media in Japan has seen remarkable growth over the past decade, and recent data shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, social media users in Japan are projected to reach 102 million by the end of 2024! That’s more than half of the country’s entire population – and it’s not just popular with younger generations, either.

To be honest, when you first come to Japan as a gaijin (foreigner), social media is probably not going to be a huge help. Not only will most sites have names you can’t read, but chances are that any social network that you do use is localized, so it’s not at all relevant to other countries. This article will cover the most recent statistics on social media usage in Japan, plus some of the latest popular trends in the country.

How Big is Social Media in Japan?

Social media has been big in Japan for years, so it’s no surprise that well over half of Japan’s population is using social media sites. A total of 81.1% of Japanese citizens use social networking sites—the highest percentage among developed countries. What might surprise you is that Japanese people have little interest in video-sharing sites, but are very heavy users of Twitter. In fact, more than 60% of Japanese Twitter users check their feeds every 30 minutes!

Here are some additional facts about social media usage in Japan 1) On average, there are 35 million tweets sent each day from Japan 2) The most popular websites used by Japanese citizens include Google, YouTube, Yahoo.co.jp, Amazon.co.jp and Rakuten.co.jp. These numbers show just how important Google is to Japan as a whole. 3) There are an estimated 3 million bloggers in Japan with topics ranging from travel to personal finance to fashion tips. Because blogging is not yet widely accepted as a career option or source of income, many bloggers choose anonymity to protect their jobs or businesses. But there’s one thing we know for sure–Japan loves social media!

Social Media Trends in Japan

Japan is one of the most social-media obsessed countries on Earth. Social media has become a significant part of daily life for people across generations, ages, and backgrounds. For example, 96% of 18 to 34 year olds use social media as do 94% of 35 to 49 year olds. And that trend doesn’t seem like it will be going away anytime soon.

The most popular social media platforms (including messaging apps) in Japan are LINE (79.6%), followed by Twitter (58.2%), Instagram (47.7%), Facebook (30.8%), I Message (15.6%) and TikTok (15.5%). While westerners might be familiar with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, they may not know about LINE which was created in 2011 and boasts more than 94.17 million users worldwide. It’s also worth noting that some Japanese mobile phone providers offer discounts when customers sign up for LINE accounts.

Digital Culture in Japan at a Glance

Most Streamed SongDRY FLOWER – YURI
Most Popular News SiteYAHOO.JP
Most Popular Local YouTuberJUNYA
Top TV ShowDOCTOR X SERIES 7
Most Talked about CelebrityCOMDOT
Highest Grossing MovieEVANGELION: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time

19 March, 2024

Social Media Statistics of Japan in 2024

Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, whether we’re using it for business or personal use. In many ways, Japan has been a leader in incorporating social media into our culture. From things like QR codes to anime-style emoticons called kaomoji, social media has taken on unique cultural adaptations. It should come as no surprise that adoption rates have been high—Japan is one of the most connected countries on earth.

The number of Internet users in Japan has increased to 118.3 million. There is a 0.7 percent increase over the previous year. The Japanese public has embraced social media in unprecedented ways. Japan has a 94 percent internet penetration rate. Japanese people spend 0.51 hours each day on social media on average. The number of social media users in Japan has risen to 102 million by 2024, thanks to wide internet access.

In Japan, social media is used by 81.1 percent of the population. In 2024, the number of active social media users will increase by 8.7%, up 8.2 million from 2021. Social media has become one of the most crucial parts of daily internet usage in Japan. People in Japan are gradually moving away from desktop computers and toward mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. People in Japan are increasingly using mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets instead of desktop computers.

In Japan, social media is used to bring people together, discuss issues, and express their views. New topics and conversations began to arise on social media in Japan on a regular basis. The following are some of the most fascinating social media statistics for the year 2024.

Total population125.8 million
Active social media users102.0 million
Number of Internet users118.3 million
Number of Mobile Internet users102.5 million

Smartphone prices have declined in recent years, leading in an increase in smartphone adoption across Japan. The availability of fast internet at relatively low rates is another factor contributing to Japan’s widespread use of social media. In Japan, there are already more than 102.5 million mobile Internet users, accounting for 86 percent of all Internet users.

Percentagein Numbers
Annual growth in active social media users.8.7%8,200,000+
Annual growth of Internet users0.7%844,000+

According to social media user statistics, the number of active social media users increased by 8.7% last year, with about 8,200,000 new users added. As a result, a number of social media trends in Japan are expected to increase in the next years. The annual increase in Internet users is 0.7 percent, with additional 844,000+ new users.

Average daily time spent using Internet4 hours 26 mins
Average daily time spent using social Media0 hours 51 mins

In Japan, the average daily time spent on the Internet is 4 hours 26 minutes, with social media accounting for 0 hour 51 minutes of that time.

Japanese Social Network

Japan has some great social networks that are tailor-made for smartphones. The Japanese love their mobile phones—they were one of the first countries to embrace mobile technology. As such, Japan is known as having some of the world’s fastest 4G LTE speeds. That makes it a great place to use smartphone applications (apps) like LINE, I Message, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp. One of Japan’s own social network, Mixi, originally founded as a gaming platform in 2004 and later became known as Japan’s answer to Facebook. In 2013, however, Mixi reported its first ever annual loss after it failed to keep up with competition from other social media platforms like Line and Facebook Messenger. Today, it’s best known for its blogging features.

In Japan, there are three major mobile phone carriers: NTT DoCoMo, KDDI au, and SoftBank Mobile. Each carrier offers its own special services and deals. For example, if you purchase a new iPhone 6 through KDDI au, you can get unlimited access to Twitter and Facebook for free for six months. On top of that, Japan’s mobile data plans are very affordable compared to those in other countries.

Japan Social Media Apps

Japan’s most popular social media apps — LINE, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Line, TikTok, 5Channel— are also its most frequently used. Since December 2015 though it appears that Japan’s social media app usage has plateaued; users don’t seem to be looking for something new.

According to We Are Social, Twitter had over 59.36 million users by February 2016 with a 58.20% penetration rate among all internet users; that means two out of every four people you meet on a daily basis will be a user. This shows tremendous growth, considering less than 15% of Japanese citizens used Facebook back in 2012. Japan also has a higher percentage of Twitter users compared to other countries at 5%. This can largely be attributed to Japan’s infatuation with kawaii (cute) characters, which are often shared through platforms such as Line and KakaoTalk. Despite these impressive statistics, there are still plenty of opportunities for new social media apps to make their mark in Japan.

most popular social media in japan 2022

Most Popular Social Media Platforms in Japan 2024

Data indicates that 86.2% of internet users in Japan access social media, with Twitter (58.20%), Instagram (47.7%) and Facebook (40.8%) being some of the most used social media platforms.

58.20% of Japan’s users have a profile on Twitter, but among internet users, those figures jump to 94%, demonstrating just how prominent Twitter is within Japan. This makes sense given that 86.6% of Japanese internet users are on mobile devices—there’s plenty of time for social networking on-the-go!

Here’s a look at some of Japan’s most popular social media platforms right now.

Top Social Network Platforms in JapanPercentageActive Users (in million)
Twitter58.20%68.85
Instagram47.70%56.43
Facebook40.80%48.27
Tik Tok15.50%18.34
5channel13.60%16.09
Skype9.80%11.59
Pinterest9.10%10.77
LinkedIn2.80%3.31
Imgur2.50%2.96

When it comes to the most popular social media platform in Japan, Twitter stands first followed by Instagram and Facebook. At present, Instagram seems to be surging but Tik Tok is also growing at an extraordinary rate due to its popularity among teens/young adults.

With 58.20 percent of social media users (68.85 million) joining in 2024, Twitter, a microblogging site, is the most popular social media platform in Japan. With 47.70 percent of social media users in Japan, Instagram is rated second on the list. In Japan, there are 56.43 million Instagram users. In Japan, young people, mainly teenagers, account up the majority of Instagram users. Instagram is owned by Facebook, which paid $1 billion in 2012 for the company. Instagram has become a source of income for both creators and businesses.

Facebook is ranked third on the ranking, with 40.80% of social media users (48.27 million). In Japan, both the governing elite and the common population like Facebook. For many years to come, Facebook will continue to be a tremendous impact. Many of Japan’s most well-known firms use Facebook to communicate with their customers.

Tik Tok, a short-form video hosting service (15.50% percent penetration) and 5channel, an anonymous Japanese textboard site (13.60 percent penetration) are two other popular social media platforms in Japan, followed by a proprietary telecommunications application site Skype (9.80 percent). With 9.10 percent penetration, Pinterest (an image sharing site) is next. It is followed by LinkedIn (2.8%) and Imgur (2.5%)

*Note: YouTube was not offered as an answer option in the survey.

Popular Messenger Apps in Japan 2024

Popular Messenger Apps in JapanPercentageActive Users (in million)
LINE79.60%94.17
I Message15.60%18.45
Facebook Messenger12.20%14.43
SNOW6.90%8.16
Discord4.60%5.44
Whatsapp2.40%2.84

LINE is the most widely used messaging app in Japan. It is a freeware application for instant communications produced by NHN Japan that has 94.17 million users, or 79.60 percent of the country’s total users. Apple Inc.’s I Message is the second most popular messaging app on the list, with a 15.60 percent penetration rate (18.45 million users).

Facebook Messenger, which is owned by Meta, is in third place with 12.20 percent penetration. With 6.90 percent of users, SNOW, a image messaging and multimedia mobile application created by Camp Mobile, is rated fourth. With 4.60 percent penetration, Discord, a VoIP, instant messaging, and digital distribution network, is ranked fifth, followed by Whatsapp (2.40 percent).

Most Used Devices in Japan

DevicePercentage
Laptop & Desktop57.69%
Mobile Phone39.54%
Tablet2.63%

With a share of 57.69 percent in 2024, the Laptop & Desktop will be the most used device in Japan. The next gadget on the list is the Mobile phone, which has 39.54 percent of the vote, followed by the Tablet, which has 2.63 percent.

Search Engine Market Share in Japan 2024

Search EnginesPercentage
Google75.59%
Yahoo18.85%
Bing5.09%
Duckduckgo0.24%
Baidu0.11%
Yandex0.05%
Ecosia0.03%
Others0.04%

In 2024, Google will be the most used search engine in Japan. Google has a 75.59 percent market share, clearly suggesting that it is the market leader. Yahoo is the second most popular search engine, with 18.85 percent of the vote. Other search engines used in Japan include Bing (5.09 percent), Duckduckgo (0.24 percent), Baidu (0.11 percent), Yandex (0.05 percent), and Ecosia (0.03 percent).

Browser Market Share in Japan 2024

Search EnginesPercentage
Chrome49.08%
Safari39.00%
Microsoft Edge10.50%
Firefox4.41%
Samsung Internet1.00%
Opera0.52%
UC Browser0.29%
Others4.20%

Google‘s Chrome is the most used browser in Japan in 2024. Chrome has a market share of 49.08 percent, plainly indicating that it is the market leader. With 39.00 percent of the vote, Safari is the second most popular search engine. Microsoft Edge (10.50 percent), Firefox (4.41 percent), Samsung Internet (1.00 percent), Opera (0.52 percent), UC Browser (0.29 percent) are the other search engines used in Japan.

Most Visited Websites in Japan in 2024 (Alexa)

Google.com
Youtube.com
Yahoo.co.jp
Amazon.co.jp
Rakuten.co.jp

According to Alexa website, the top website in Japan is Google.com. Second, on the list is Youtube.com followed by Yahoo.co.jp, Amazon.co.jp and Rakuten.co.jp.

(Source: Data Reportal)

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Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.