Most popular mobile apps Japan 2023, by category

According to a survey conducted in March 2023, the most used type of smartphone apps in Japan were weather apps, which were used by almost 61 percent of respondents. Social networking, chat, and communication apps were used by more than half of the respondents.

Social media in Japan

LINE Corporation holds a particularly dominant position when it comes to social apps in Japan. The company’s main product is the messenger app LINE, which is used by a large proportion of the Japanese population. LINE Corporation diversified its business throughout the years, establishing integrated services such as LINE Manga, LINE Music, and the mobile payment option LINE Pay. Next to LINE, the most popular social networks in Japan are YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram, which also represent important venues for influencer marketing. Social media are not only used for keeping in touch with friends and acquaintances, but are also employed by people who want to look up information.

Mobile gaming

While apps are used for a variety of purposes, a ranking of the leading apps based on revenues in Japan shows that gaming apps reign supreme when it comes to profitability. While Japan is home to two of the major gaming console manufacturers, Sony and Nintendo, the versatility and ubiquity of smartphones has made mobile gaming the most popular way to play video games in Japan. Mobile games offer a convenient form of entertainment that can be enjoyed even during short breaks or while commuting to work. According to survey data, puzzle games are the most commonly played smartphone game genre.