Mobile Music Sales in Japan up 91%
The Record Industry Association of Japan has released the RIAJ Yearbook 2008, its annual roundup of sales figures, statistics and trends from the previous year. As expected, CD sales continued to decrease for the ninth straight year. However, total recorded music sales are up for the third year running, thanks to strong growth from the digital sector – or more specifically from the mobile sector, which still accounts for the bulk of digital music sales in Japan with full-track downloads rising 91% over the previous year.
According to the latest Music Media Watch:
Total music sales for 2007 in Japan came to JPY 466 billion (US $4.66 billion). While CD/DVD sales declined 4% from the previous year, digital downloads jumped up 41% to JPY 75.5 billion (US $755 million), comprising 16% of all music sold in Japan. Mobile downloads accounted for JPY 68 billion (US $680 million), more than 90% of the total figure for digital sales.
Our quick calculation shows the total value is approx. 50x German mobile market figures!