In the 1980s, Japan’s consumers were early adopters of technologies like Nintendo’s Game Boy and Sony’s Walkman. But tech took a backseat following years of economic stagnation in the 1990s, and the country missed the boat on game-changing trends like the smartphone. That, combined with an aging population, has been a recipe for slow tech adoption.
But that’s starting to change with a new set of economic policies intended to rejuvenate the tech sector, which could set the stage for Japan to be a leader in future technologies.
Below, our latest forecasts on media and tech usage in the country offer a glimpse of what’s expected.