YouTube monthly users in Japan exceed 80 million

At the YouTube Brandcast Japan 2026 event, Google Japan revealed that the platform's monthly active users in Japan have surpassed 80 million, representing over 95 percent of the online population aged 18 and older.

A significant shift in viewing habits was noted among younger demographics: the average viewing time for Japanese users aged 18 to 29 across all devices has surpassed the combined viewing time of all terrestrial television broadcasters. Additionally, YouTube's viewership on connected TVs (CTV) has ranked first in Japan for three consecutive years.

The platform's economic impact is also expanding. According to a report conducted with Oxford Economics, the YouTube ecosystem contributed more than 510 billion yen to Japan's GDP in 2025 and supports the equivalent of over 85,000 full-time jobs. The report also highlighted that 70 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises reported that the platform helped increase their revenue.