Number of monthly active LINE users in Japan 2013-2020
The messaging app LINE is Japan’s most popular online communication tool, reaching 86 million monthly actives users (MAU) in Japan during the third quarter of 2020.
The rise of LINE in Japan
The success story of the messaging service LINE started back in 2011 during the Great East Japan Earthquake. While conventional communication channels had broken down due to power failures and destroyed infrastructure, official sources turned to online options for communicating news and confirming the safety of citizens. The app was released for public use later that year, appealing greatly to Japanese consumers due to its unique and customizable design, allowing both private and business usage simultaneously. LINE Corporation’s annual revenue rose from less than seven billion Japanese yen in fiscal year 2012 to over 227 billion yen in fiscal year 2019, exemplifying the company’s major success since the launch of its app.
Social media usage in Japan
Compared to its neighboring countries, Japan has a relatively low social network penetration rate, being noticeably outpaced by Taiwan and South Korea. While globally leading networks do get their fair share of popularity within the Japanese social media market, a ranking of the most popular social networks based on audience reach showed that LINE had a significantly higher audience reach when compared to internationally successful apps such as Twitter or Instagram.
The rise of LINE in Japan
The success story of the messaging service LINE started back in 2011 during the Great East Japan Earthquake. While conventional communication channels had broken down due to power failures and destroyed infrastructure, official sources turned to online options for communicating news and confirming the safety of citizens. The app was released for public use later that year, appealing greatly to Japanese consumers due to its unique and customizable design, allowing both private and business usage simultaneously. LINE Corporation’s annual revenue rose from less than seven billion Japanese yen in fiscal year 2012 to over 227 billion yen in fiscal year 2019, exemplifying the company’s major success since the launch of its app.
Social media usage in Japan
Compared to its neighboring countries, Japan has a relatively low social network penetration rate, being noticeably outpaced by Taiwan and South Korea. While globally leading networks do get their fair share of popularity within the Japanese social media market, a ranking of the most popular social networks based on audience reach showed that LINE had a significantly higher audience reach when compared to internationally successful apps such as Twitter or Instagram.
