Editing Communications in Japan (section)

==Overview of communication services==
===Telephone services===
'''Telephones and ISDN – main lines in use:''' 52.3981 million (2007)<ref name="soumu.go.jp">{{Cite web
| title = Status of Number of Subscribers to Telecommunications Services
| publisher = Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
| url = http://www.soumu.go.jp/joho_tsusin/eng/Statistics/pdf/080227_1.pdf
| access-date = 19 March 2008 }}</ref>

'''[[IP phone]] lines in use:''' 16.766 million (2007)<ref name="soumu.go.jp"/>

'''Mobile and [[Personal Handy-phone System|PHS]] lines in use:''' 105.297 million (2007)<ref name="soumu.go.jp"/>
:''international:'' satellite earth stations – 5 [[Intelsat]] (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 [[Intersputnik]] (Indian Ocean region), and 1 [[Inmarsat]] (Pacific and Indian Ocean regions); submerged cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US (via [[Guam]])

====Mobile phone services====
{{Main|Mobile phone industry in Japan}}
There are four nationwide mobile phone service providers: [[NTT Docomo]], [[KDDI]], [[SoftBank]], and [[Rakuten Mobile]].

===Radio and television broadcasting===
'''Radio broadcast stations:''' [[Amplitude modulation|AM]] 190, [[Frequency modulation|FM]] 88, [[shortwave]] 24 (1999)

'''Radios:''' 120.5 million (1997)

'''Television broadcast stations:''' 7,108 (plus 441 repeaters; note – in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services) (1999)

'''Televisions:''' 86.5 million (1997)

'''[[Amateur radio]]:''' 446,602 licensed stations as of October 2011.<ref name="mic-musen-stats">{{cite web|script-title=ja:無線局統計情報|trans-title=Radio Station Statistics|url=http://www.tele.soumu.go.jp/j/musen/toukei/index.htm|date=October 2011|language=ja|access-date=20 January 2012|publisher=[[Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications]]}}</ref> See [[Amateur radio call signs of Japan]].

===Internet services===
*'''[[Internet Service Provider]]s (ISPs):''' 357 (1999)
*'''Internet Service Providers via [[Cable network]]:''' 334 (June 2004)
*'''Number of Portable Phone Users with the Internet Access:''' 71,044,000 (June 2004)

Number of Broadband Users by Access (April 2005)
*'''Number of the [[xDSL]] Users:''' 13,675,840 lines
*'''Number of the [[FTTH]] Users:''' 2,852,205 lines
*'''Number of the [[CATV]] Service Users:''' 2,959,712 lines

Number of Broadband Users by Access (June 2004)
*'''Number of the [[xDSL]] Users:''' 12,068,718 lines
*'''Number of the [[FTTH]] Users:''' 1,417,483 lines
*'''Number of the [[CATV]] Service Users:''' 2,702,000 lines
*'''Number of the [[Dial-up]] Users:''' 17,730,000 lines

Number of Broadband Users by Access (June 2002)
*'''Number of the [[xDSL]] Users:''' 3,300,926 lines
*'''Number of the [[FTTH]] Users:''' 84,903 lines
*'''Number of the [[CATV]] Service Users:''' 1852000 lines
*'''Number of the [[Dial-up]] Users:''' 20,390,000 lines

'''[[Country codes|Country code]] (Top-level domain):''' JP

{{See also|Broadband Internet access worldwide#Japan}}

=== Postal services ===
{{Main|Postage stamps and postal history of Japan}}
[[File:Japan Mailbox Red.jpg|thumb|right|225px|A [[postbox]] in Japan as pictured in 2005. Note the double-bar symbol, the [[Japanese postal mark|country's postal mark]], on the front.]]
Japan's first modern postal service got started in 1871, with mail professionally traveling between [[Kyoto]] and Tokyo as well as the latter city and [[Osaka]]. This took place in the midst of the rapid industrialization and social reorganization that the [[Meiji period]] symbolized in [[History of Japan|Japanese history]]. Given how the nation's railroad technology was in its infancy, Japan's growing postal system relied heavily on [[human-powered transport]], including [[Pulled rickshaw|rickshaws]], as well as [[Horse-powered transport|horse-drawn]] methods of delivery. For example, while commemorating the 50th anniversary of Japan's postal service, the country's 1921 government released decorative [[postcard]]s depicting intrepid [[Equestrianism|horseback riders]] carrying the mail.<ref name="Mosk">{{Cite book|title=Japanese Industrial History: Technology, Urbanization, and Economic Growth|first=Carl|last=Mosk|date=2000|pages=66–68|publisher=[[M.E. Sharpe]]|isbn=9780765638557}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oldtokyo.com/japan-postal-service-50th-anniversary-commemorative-postcard-1921/|title=Japan Postal Service 50th Anniversary commemorative postcard, 1921. - Old Tokyo|website=oldtokyo.com|date=26 May 2016 }}</ref>

In communication terms, British technicians had already been employed in assisting with Japanese [[lighthouses]], and the country's budding mail system looked to hybridize British ideas with local practicalities. Shipping along the [[Coastline of Japan|nation's coastline]] in particular demonstrates a key instance of how the [[Economy of Japan|Japanese economy]] developed: the government closely working with private companies to industrially expand in a way that met social needs while also allowing for large profits. [[Mitsubishi]]'s contract for mail transport by sea proved lucrative enough that it assisted with the firm becoming one of the famous "[[zaibatsu]]".<ref name="Mosk" />

Since 2007, the nation's post offices have been managed by the firm [[Japan Post Network]], which, in turn, is a part of the larger [[Japan Post Holdings]] [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]]. As of December 2017, the smaller company has been managed by CEO Koji Furukawa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=39099372|title=Japan Post Network Co., Ltd.: Private Company Information|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.}}</ref> The simple [[Japanese postal mark]], predating [[Literacy in Japan|mass literacy in the nation]], is still used to this day.