Results of the 2019 Basic Survey on the Information and Communications Industry (Industry Performance in FY2018)

1. Summary of the survey results ⁱ

(1) Overview of survey results targeting companies operating in the information and communications industry (survey results concerning common question items)ⁱⁱ

[i]

There were 5,819 companies operating (primarily or otherwise) in the information and communications industry (1*). FY2018 total sales in this industry were 51.0377 trillion yen (up by 2.6% from the previous year), while combined sales that these companies earned in this and other industries in which they operate totaled 68.9456 trillion yen.

Regarding sales by sector in the industry, the telecommunications sector (total sales in the fixed telecommunications sector and the mobile telecommunications sector) marked the highest, followed by the software sector and the information processing/providing service sector. These three sectors accounted for 79.4% of the total sales in the industry.

[Reference] Total sales of the companies in this industry that answered the survey for two consecutive years: 48.7204 trillion yen (up by 2.6% from the previous year)

[ii]

There were 5,026 companies classified in the information and communications category (i.e., companies whose sales in the information and communications industry account for the largest portion of their revenue) and FY2018 total sales of the companies were 53.8699 trillion yen (up by 3.0% from the previous year), of which 49.3256 trillion yen represents the sales that they earned in the information and communications industry (up by 2.6% from the previous year).

Sales per company in this category were 10.72 billion yen (down by 3.7% from the previous year). Looking at sales by sector, the telecommunications sector marked the highest, followed by the newspaper sector and the internet-based service sector.

(2) Overview of survey results for the respective sectors (survey results concerning the question items unique to the respective sectors)

[i] Telecommunications and broadcasting sectors

There were 783 companies operating in the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors (976 companies if aggregated by service) and their sales in FY2018 in total were 17.4578 trillion yen (down by 0.5% from the previous year). Regarding the sales by service, the telecommunications service marked the highest at 13.9032 trillion yen (down by 0.9% from the previous year), followed by the private broadcasting service at 2.3875 trillion yen (up by 2.9% from the previous year), and the cable television broadcasting service at 429.8 billion yen (down by 10.3% from the previous year).

[Reference] Total sales of the companies in these sectors that answered the survey for two consecutive years: 17.1129 trillion yen (up by 0.5% from the previous year)

[ii] Broadcast program production sector

There were 337 companies operating in the broadcast program production sector (total number in the television program production sector and the radio program production sector) and FY2018 total sales were 341.3 billion yen (up by 5.1% from the previous year).

Sales per company in this sector were 1.01 billion yen (down by 1.9% from the previous year).

[iii] Internet-based service sector

There were 530 companies operating in the internet-based service sector and FY2018 total sales were 2.6897 trillion yen (up by 5.0% from the previous year). Regarding sales by service (*2), the cloud computing service (up by 40.1% from the previous year) and the information network and security service (up by 38.7% from the previous year) showed double-digit increases.

Sales per company in this sector were 5.07 billion yen (up by 4.8% from the previous year), showing an increase for six consecutive years.

[Reference] Total sales of the companies in this sector that answered the survey for two consecutive years: 2.4592 trillion yen (up by 3.9% from the previous year)

[iv] Information service sector

There were 3,636 companies operating in the information service sector and FY2018 total sales were 18.5334 trillion yen (up by 5.8% from the previous year), showing the highest level since the start of the survey. Regarding sales by type of business in the sector (*3), the commissioned software development business, which accounts for the higher composition rate of sales in this sector, surpassed the record high value (up by 5.9% from the previous year), while the information processing business showed a double-digit increase (up by 16.3% from the previous year).

Sales per company in this sector were 5.10 billion yen (up by 1.8% from the previous year).

[Reference] Total sales of the companies in this sector that answered the survey for two consecutive years: 17.2160 trillion yen (up by 5.3% from the previous year)

[v] Video picture/sound information/character information production sector

There were 760 companies operating in this sector and FY2018 total sales were 2.8369 trillion yen (down by 2.3% from the previous year). Regarding sales by type of business (*4), the newspapers business, the publishing business, and other similar businesses, which account for the higher composition rates of sales in this sector, showed a decrease.

Sales per company in this sector were 3.73 billion yen (down by 6.4% from the previous year).

[Reference] Total sales of the companies in this sector that answered the survey for two consecutive years: 2.7050 trillion yen (down by 0.2% from the previous year)

2. Outline of the survey

(1) Purpose

This survey aims to uncover the current business situation of companies belonging to the information and communications industry in Japan and to obtain basic data for information communication policies. The survey started in 2010.

(2) Organizers of the survey

METI and MIC

(3) Targets of the survey and criteria for selecting the targets

This survey targets companies that operate businesses in the information and communications industry, including telecommunications, broadcasting, broadcast program production, internet-based service, information service, and video picture/sound information/character information production, which is classified as Division G within the Japan Standard Industrial Classification; and whose capital or contributions amount to 30 million yen or more.*

(4) Question items surveyed

A. Questionnaire sheet for common question items targeting all sectors: The number of employees, details of business, current situations of trading and commissions, research and development, etc.
B. Questionnaire sheet for question items unique to the respective sectors, sales by service, the amount of business investment per business, etc.

(5) Survey methods

Combination of a mail-based survey and an online survey

(6) Timing of achievements uncovered in the survey

March 31, 2019

(7) Period of the survey

From June 16 to August 15, 2019

(8) Data on collection of questionnaire sheets

For details of the survey results, see the Results of the 2019 Basic Survey on the Information and Communications Industry.

3. Announcement of the website

• The documents concerning the results of the survey are available for download on the Information and Communications Industry statistics website (in Japanese) .

Division in Charge

Enterprise Statistics Office, Research and Statistics Department, Minister’s Secretariat