According to the “Communications Usage Trend Survey in 2013” conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), the number of Japanese who used the internet over the course of 2013 is estimated to be 100.44 million, 46% increase from the previous year. It exceeded 100 million for the first time, and the percentage of the general population who are internet users was 82.8%. Examining internet usage rates by age, more than 90% of people between 13 and 59 used the internet. Also, internet usage rate of the seniors shows expansion as 91.4% of the 50s, 76.6% of the 60s and 68.9% of the 70s used internet.
As for the information and communication devices possessed by Japanese users, 81.7% posses PCs (5.9% increase compared with previous year), 62.6% posses smartphones (13.0% increase compared with previous year) and 21.9% posses PCs (606% increase compared with previous year.) Because the latter two devices are steeply growing, PCs at home 81.7% (1.1% decrease) and PCs outside the home 27.9% (6.2% decrease) decreased while smartphones 42.4% (11.0% increase) and tablets12.4% (4.5% increase) as the devices used to access the internet
Looking at devices used by age, smartphone use is rising among under age 50, and it is even more evident for 20s with 83.3% smartphone users and for 30s with 72.3% smartphone users. Usage rate of smartphones exceeded usage rate of PCs in these age groups. In addition, conventional mobile phone use is dropping by a large margin among these age groups- 17.4% (33.3% decrease) for 20s and 24.7% (30.3% decrease) for 30s. This indicates users are shifting from conventional mobile phones to smartphones at a rapid pace.
Smartphone use expanded as the device used to access the internet at home: 31.7% (14.3% increase) and also outside the home: 43.4% (15.6% increase.) Outside the home, smartphones have topped PCs and became the most popular means to access the internet.
The survey was conducted during January to March, 2014 and valid responses were received from 15,599 households and 2,216 corporations.
(Travel Voice Editorial Department)
