Japan newspaper subscription rate falls below 50%

The newspaper subscription rate in Japan has fallen below 50% for the first time, according to a fiscal 2026 survey by the Japan Press Research Institute. The proportion of respondents with monthly subscriptions dropped to 49.8%, a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the previous year. This marks a significant decline from 2008, when the subscription rate was 88.6%.

Weekly news consumption via newspapers also dipped below the 50% threshold, reaching 49.7%. In terms of media popularity, commercial television programs ranked highest at 84.2%, followed by the internet at 74.4% and NHK at 69.7%. Radio ranked fifth at 27.6%.

The survey also addressed public opinion regarding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet. The cabinet holds a 62.3% approval rating, supported largely by younger generations. Regarding constitutional revision, 31.2% of respondents favor an amendment, while 15.3% are against it. The largest group of those interested in revision (32.6%) suggested adding the existence of the Self-Defense Forces to the Constitution.