Impress Releases "2004 INTERNET WHITE PAPER"
Home users of broadband exceed 20 million
48.1% of family users connect to the Internet via broadband
- Internet population in Japan is 62,844,000 (as of the end of Feb. 2004) -
TOKYO, Japan - Jun. 29, 2004 - Impress Corporation (TSE: 9479) today announced the July 1 release of the "2004 INTERNET WHITE PAPER" --compiled under the supervision of Internet Association Japan -- detailing the latest trends in Internet usage.
This year marked the 9th consecutive year since the first issue of INTERNET WHITE PAPER--the first survey report on growth and trends in Internet usage@in compiled by the private sector--was published in 1996 under the supervision of Internet Association Japan.
INTERNET WHITE PAPER has explored and distributed historical and up-to-date information on the development of the Internet in Japan, from its beginnings to the current broadband era.
Summary of the Impress "2004 INTERNET WHITE PAPER" on the latest trends in Internet usage, and survey results
- Internet user population in Japan: 62,844,000
The Internet user population in Japan surpassed 60 million at the end of Dec. 2003; as of the end of Feb. 2004, it totals 62,844,000, an increase of 6.39 million (11.3%) compared to the result obtained in the survey conducted in Feb. 2003. The estimated population at the end of Dec. 2004 is 67 million.
The household Internet penetration rate (the rate of households with regular Internet users, regardless of location or connection device) has reached 78.1%, an increase of 5.1 points from last yearfs level of 73%.
In addition, the household Internet penetration rate (the rate of households with regular Internet users, not including those who use the Internet only from work or school or only via mobile phone/PHS) has exceeded 50% for the first time, reaching 52.1%.
- Number of home broadband users: 22,145,000
The expansion of the area in which broadband Internet service is available has increased the number of broadband users from home PCs, which reached 22,145,000 in Feb. 2004, exceeding the number of narrowband users (21,237,000) for the first time.
Among households using the Internet (except for those which use mobile phones or PHS only, or use the Internet only from work or school), broadband penetration has significantly increased, to 48.1% from last yearfs level of 39.3%.
- Users whose private information has been leaked: 24.9%
According to a Web survey of individual PC users, 24.9% of respondents indicated that their private information has been leaked. This means that one out of four people is a victim of information leakage.
Thirty-seven percent of respondents indicated that they have not experienced any Internet-related problems, a significant decrease from last yearfs level of 61.4%. The most commonly cited problem was e-mail viruses, reaching 48.2%, up 23.3 points from the previous year. This illustrates how many PC users were seriously affected by such viruses.
The "2004 INTERNET WHITE PAPER" includes, in addition to the survey results described above, detailed, diversified survey data and analysis pertaining to the Internet usage, such as trends among mobile-phone users, infrastructure businesses, and Internet businesses, as well as in society as a whole.
(*) "Broadband connection" as used in this survey refers to connection using ADSL/xDSL, CATV, FTTH (optical fiber), a public wireless LAN access point, a leased line, or a third-generation mobile phone. gNarrow-band communicationh basically refers to dial-up connection via a telephone line, including ISDN; however, connection using a mobile phone or PHS, except for third-generation mobile phones for data communication, and data communication using a data card are also included in the category of dial-up connection.
Outline of the "2004 INTERNET WHITE PAPER"
Supervisor: Internet Association Japan
Release date: July 1, 2004
Pages: 408 pages
Price: 7,140 yen (tax included)
Publisher: Impress Corporation
* Bundles a CD-ROM containing 344 graphic images (GIF format) based on our independent survey data, and part of our survey results (PDF format) contained in the eight White Papers from the first issue through 2003. The contained data can be re-used in a personal report, office document, or external presentation, provided that the source is cited.
* This book is published in Japanese only
