Japan’s Newspaper Circulation Plunges to 20.8 Million, with the Rate of Decline Doubling Over the Past Decade — Loss of Timely News Reporting and the Collapse of a Business Model Dependent on “Oshigami” (Excess Newspaper Deliveries)

By Tetsuya Kuroyabu
As of August 2026, the total ABC circulation of daily newspapers in Japan was about 20.8 million copies (20,804,855 copies). This was a decrease of about 1.45 million copies (1,450,697 copies) compared with the same month of the previous year.
ABC circulation figures are based on the number of newspapers supplied through the distribution system. They do not necessarily show how many copies are actually sold to readers.
These figures also include “oshigami,” or newspapers supplied to dealers in excess of actual sales demand. This practice places a financial burden on newspaper dealers. At the same time, it has helped newspaper companies increase their sales and advertising revenue.



















































