LINE user trends 2026: The largest messaging app in Japan

Number of LINE users and main features

LINE remains Japan’s leading messaging app, with 100 million monthly active users as of March 2026, according to LY Corporation. This audience is equivalent to approximately 81% of Japan’s population of around 123 million, highlighting the platform’s extensive presence in everyday life.

The main feature is a ‘WhatsApp-like’ messaging and calling function. But it also has a variety of other quirky features, such as stickers. Popular anime shows, celebrities, and creators even sell their own paid stickers inside the app. Companies can have official accounts in LINE. Notably, some of them even sell their own stickers for campaigns.

There is also a status update feature which includes an ‘Instagram-like story’ function and a seamless share button. In addition, the app has a cashless payment feature which is called “LINE Pay”. This allows people to send money between users and make payments at shops.

Number of active users on LINE

LINE’s monthly active user base in Japan reached 100 million as of March 2026, up from 98 million in March 2025. This continued growth highlights the platform’s extensive presence in Japan, even with an already large user base.

Demographics of active users

LINE has a relatively balanced gender split, with 47.3% of its smartphone audience being male and 52.7% female. These figures come from Nielsen data collected in January 2025 and published in LY Corporation’s media guide, updated in July 2026.

The platform also attracts users across a broad range of ages, from younger audiences to people in their 60s and above. Its appeal across generations makes LINE relevant for brands looking to connect with both younger and older consumers in Japan.

In Japan, LINE is not simply a tool for young people. It is used by a wide ranging demographic and has become an essential support mechanism for connecting with friends, family and work colleagues. 

A unique feature of LINE

There are more than 3 million LINE accounts owned by companies in Japan. If you want to set up a business account on the app you have to fill in a registration form and submit an application. When this has been approved you can then start using it. The volume of business accounts is increasing across Japan as it offers an alternative to other marketing tools, such as email newsletters. It gives companies many advantages. It’s free to use, they can send out sales vouchers to customers through the app and they can even run surveys. Compared to email, on average it has a higher open rate and a higher click-through rate. More reasons why LINE is used by both large and small businesses.

In 2020, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) finalised an agreement with LINE to conduct a nationwide survey on COVID-19. The official account of MHLW periodically sends out health survey questionnaires to all LINE users in Japan.

LINE is now one of the most useful brand tools in Japan. We highly recommend that you consider creating your own official LINE account when working with the Japanese market and if you need any help, please do reach out.