May 28, 2021 Results of 2020 Basic Survey on Information and Communications Industry (Industry Performance in FY2019)

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) compiled the 11th results (on industry performance in fiscal 2019) of a basic survey on the information and communications industry. This survey was jointly conducted by MIC and METI to comprehensively grasp Japan’s information and communications industry, the results of which are outlined below.

1. Summary result ^(*1)

1. Overview of companies in the information and communications industry

• A total of 5,714 companies engaged in the information and communications industry (regardless of whether or not it was their core business). The sales of the information and communications industry in fiscal 2019 amounted to 51,645.9 billion yen (up 1.2% year on year).
• In terms of sales on a sector-by-sector basis related to the information and communications industry, the telecommunications sector (comprised of landline telecommunications and mobile telecommunications businesses) recorded the highest sales, followed by the software sector and information processing and provision service sector. These three sectors occupied 79.4% of the entire information and communications industry.
• A total of 4,894 companies recorded higher sales in the information and communications industry than those recorded in any other industry in which they were engaged. Their sales related to the information and communications industry accounted for 49,768.3 billion yen (up 0.9% year on year).

2. Telecommunications sector and broadcasting sector

A total of 767 companies ^(*2) engaged in telecommunications and broadcasting services (948 on a business-by-business basis ^(*3)), and their sales in fiscal 2019 accounted for 18,376 billion yen (up 5.3% year on year). In terms of sectors, the telecommunications sector recorded sales of 14,872.6 billion yen (up 7.0% year on year), followed by the private broadcasting sector (including terrestrial television and radio and satellite broadcasting services) with sales of 2,252.3 billion yen (down 5.7% year on year). The cable television broadcasting sector recorded sales of 513.7 billion yen (up 19.5% year on year).

3. Broadcast program production sector

A total of 327 companies engaged in broadcast program production (a total of those engaged in television and radio program production). Their total sales in fiscal 2019 accounted for 386.9 billion yen (up 13.4% year on year). Sales per company were 1.18 billion yen (up 16.8% year on year)

4. Internet-related service sector

A total of 530 companies engaged in Internet-related service, and their sales in fiscal 2019 accounted for 2,795.3 billion yen (up 3.9% year on year). Sales per company were 5.27 billion yen (up 3.9% year on year).

5. Information service sector

A total of 3,660 companies engaged in information service, and their sales in fiscal 2019 accounted for 18,998.4 billion yen (up 2.5% year on year). In terms of business types, commissioned software development businesses recorded the highest sales. Sales per company were 5.19 billion yen (up 1.8% year on year).

6. Video, audio, and character information production sector

A total of 749 companies engaged in video, audio, and character information production, and their sales in fiscal 2019 accounted for 2,654.1 billion yen (down 6.4% year on year). Sales per company were 3.54 billion yen (down 5.1% year on year).

2. Outline of the survey

1. Purpose

This survey aims to clarify the actual activities of companies belonging to the information and communications industry in Japan and obtain basic data on information and communications policies.

2. Organizers of the survey

MIC and METI

3. Targets of the survey and criteria for selecting the targets

Those with a capital or investment of 30 million yen or more engaging in the information and communications industry (telecommunications, broadcasting, broadcast program production, Internet-related service, information service, and video picture, sound information, and character information production sectors) ^*

• *
  However, the survey covered all the registered telecommunications carriers in the telecommunications sector, all the private broadcasting operators in the broadcasting sector, and all the companies in the broadcast program production sector.

4. Survey items

• 1.
  Survey items common to all businesses: Number of employees, business content, transaction and consignment status, research and development, etc.
• 2.
  Survey items specified to each business: Sales on a service-by-service basis, capital investment on a business-by-business basis, etc.

5. Survey methods

Mail-based and online survey methods in combination

6. Survey date

March 31, 2020

7. Survey implementation period

August through October 2020

8. Collection status

• *
  Note 1. In the basic survey on the information and communications industry, questionnaire 1 investigates common matters in each sector. Questionnaire 2 through 6 are used to investigate items specific to each sector, such as sales on a service-by-service basis and capital investment on a business-by-business basis. The attached survey result aggregates valid responses to each questionnaire. Therefore, the number of responding companies varies with each questionnaire even though the companies are in the same sector. The number of companies with their sales in 1 through 6 in the summary result links to the attached detailed result. Then the number of valid responses per questionnaire is aggregated. The number of responding companies in 1 differs from the number of responding companies in total in 2 through 6.
• *
  Note 2. The Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) is included.
• *
  Note 3. For companies engaged in multiple businesses, each of their businesses was calculated as one company.