October 31, 2022 Announcement of Status of Telecommunications Numbers in Use (FY2021)

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has summarized status of telecommunications numbers in use as of the end of fiscal 2021, as reported by telecommunication carriers under Article 8 of the Rules for Reporting on Telecommunications Business (Ministerial Ordinance of MPT No. 46 of 1988), in accordance with Article 10 of the same Ordinance.
As the releases entitled "Announcement of Status of Telecommunications Numbers in Use" issued on September 18, 2020 and August 31, 2021 contained some errors, MIC has issued a correction.

Note: The status of telecommunications numbers in use refers to numbers provided to subscribers by telecommunication carriers from those designated by MIC to telecommunication carriers.

1. Number of main telecommunications numbers in use

As of the end of FY2021 (March 31, 2022)

• "0AB-J" numbers for fixed-line telephones: Approximately 56.76 million numbers (down about 1.39 million from the previous year)
• "050" numbers for IP telephony: Approximately 9.43 million numbers (up about 410,000 from the previous year)
• "070/080/090" numbers for mobile phones and PHS phones: Approximately 182.57 million numbers (up about 2.96 million from the previous year)

FY2021 (April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022)

• Number portability between mobile phones and Personal Handy-phone System (PHS) phones: Approximately 8.08 million numbers

2. Main points

Usage of "0AB-J" numbers for fixed-line telephones continues to decline, falling by about 1.39 million numbers (down about 2.4%) between the end of FY2020 and the end of FY2021.
Usage of "050" numbers for IP telephony has been more or less flat in recent years, increasing by about 410,000 numbers (up about 4.5%) between the end of FY2020 and the end of FY2021.
Usage of "070/080/090" numbers for mobile phones and PHS phones has seen a rise, increasing by about 2.96 million numbers (up about 1.7%) between the end of FY2020 and the end of FY2021.
Number portability between mobile phones and PHS phones has reached an all-time high following the entry into force on April 1, 2021 of the revised guidelines on number portability between mobile phones and PHS phones, which imposed such obligations as the elimination of the fee for mobile number portability (MNP) as a general rule and the completion of online procedures within 24 hours.

3. Correction of previously issued announcements of status of telecommunications numbers in use

The releases "Announcement of Status of Telecommunications Numbers in Use (FY2019)" issued on September 18, 2020 and "Announcement of Status of Telecommunications Numbers in Use (FY2020)" issued on August 31, 2021 contained errors in the figures relating to fluctuations in telecommunications numbers. MIC apologizes for these errors and has issued corrected figures.
For details of the corrections, please refer to the table of errata.

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  The published materials are in Japanese only.