Internet Explorer in the lead, Google Chrome in solid third place in Japan
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I haven’t seen any statistics on browser use in Japan for a while, so I was glad to get this data from goo Research via japan.internet.com on browsers.
Demographics
Between the 25th and 17th of November 2010 1,091 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.7% of the sample were male, 16.6% in their teens, 18.0% in their twenties, 21.1% in their thirties, 16.3% in their forties, 15.7% in their fifties, and 12.4% aged sixty or older.
Looking at worldwide statistics on browser usage Internet Explorer is on 52%, Firefox on 26% and Chrome on 11%, but these figures are based on actual page views, so it’s difficult to make a direct comparison. I was also suprised to see that only 13% here have a recommended browser at work or school, although some people might have locked-down PCs so they cannot actually make a change themselves.
You’ll note that this survey was collected on the web, yet 6.4% of the sample (70 people) said they knew what a browser was but didn’t use one… Just as well that they were eliminated from the follow-up question!
Research results
Q1: Do you know what a browser is? (Sample size=1,091)
Yes, and use one (to SQ) 71.5% Yes, but don’t use one 6.4% No 22.1% Q1SQ: Regardless of at home, work or school, which browsers do you use? (Sample size=780, multiple answer)
Internet Explorer 92.2% Mozilla Firefox 26.7% Google Chrome 16.5% Safari 12.8% Opera 5.1% Lunascape 2.6% Netscape 1.2% Other 2.2% Finally, 424 said they had installed a browser onto a computer. This means that from the initial sample of 1,091, 38.9% had installed a second browser, or 49.9% of those who knew what a browser was had installed one. They were asked the following:
Q2: Why did you choose the browser you installed? (Sample size=424, multiple answer)
Good usability 69.8% Fast loading, page display 37.3% Most sites are displayed properly 20.0% Reliable security 14.2% Like the design 13.7% Recommended browser for work, school 13.0% Boss, colleagues, friends, family use it 5.2% Other 4.2% No particular reason 10.6%
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Every single school that I work at has IE installed, as it is the default browser. Most of them are still using IE 6 out of ignorance or possible inability to upgrade, as most administration functions are locked (I can’t even fix the display clock). I have been surreptitiously installing Chrome on every PC so I can use the Internet in comfort. It’s absurd.
P.S. the word “browser” is misspelled several times on this page.
Indeed I did – now fixed!
Chrome cannot render kanji correctly. It defaults all Unihan to Simplified Mainland Chinese. For it to crawl above 3rd would be pure and utter shock, and I’m an IT nerd.
Curiously, if not rendered in a specific font or specific optional tags added to a page, IE defaults to this bizarre behavior too. Firefox SHOULD technically be the leader in Japan as it remains presently the ONLY browser to not only not override language tags but correctly detect Unihan by language under a dearth of tags. I mean seriously, how hard is it to look for a の and go “Ah! Japanese!”?
Also, Firefox is as far as I know the only browser to actively market in Japan. Look up Foxkeh, or the Shiretoko x Firefox campaigns for examples.