Trusted, but Not Read: Japan’s Household Newspaper Subscriptions Hit Historic Low
A recent survey in Japan found that home subscription rates to daily newspapers fell below 50% for the first time, even while newspapers ranked second for overall media trustworthiness.
A summer 2026 survey by the Japan Press Research Institute found that monthly home subscriptions to daily newspapers in Japan have fallen below 50% for the first time, dropping 0.3 percentage points to 49.8%. This decline represents a long-term trend, with subscription rates falling from 88.6% in 2008 to the current level. While newspapers ranked second for overall media trustworthiness, they trailed other sources for major news, with 70.4% of respondents citing commercial television, 64.9% citing the internet, and 53.2% citing NHK television.
Subscription rates vary significantly by age, with over 70% of respondents in their seventies or older maintaining a monthly subscription. In contrast, subscription rates are approximately 30% for those in their twenties and forties, and 20% for those in their thirties. Among non-subscribers, 73.7% stated that other sources such as the internet and television are sufficient. Other reasons for not subscribing include personal reading habits and high costs.
Brief written by urgent.news from Nippon.com News, Nippon.com — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
