Asahi Shimbun Digital
The digital edition of one of Japan's largest national dailies, covering news, politics and culture.
Asahi Shimbun Digital at a glance
Asahi Shimbun Digital is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Japan, currently ranked #101 in the country. It was founded in 1879 by Murayama Ryohei, Ueno Riichi and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Today Asahi Shimbun Digital is owned by The Asahi Shimbun Company. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 150 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through subscriptions, digital advertising, print sales. Its closest rivals include mainichi.jp, nikkei.com, sankei.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 141 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 146 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 150 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 159 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Japan, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Japan86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 45 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Japan
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| asahi shimbun digital | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Japan web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Japan
Company information
- Website
- asahi.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- The Asahi Shimbun Company
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Murayama Ryohei, Ueno Riichi
- Founded
- 1879
- Headquarters
- Tokyo, Japan
- Employees
- 4,000+
- Ownership
- The Asahi Shimbun Company controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $2.5 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Japanese, English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $2.5 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Asahi Shimbun Digital operates a news and media publisher focused on Japan. The digital edition of one of Japan's largest national dailies, covering news, politics and culture. Revenue comes mainly from subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Subscriptions
- Digital advertising
- Print sales
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- Japan
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Japan)
- #101 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Japan
- Global rank
- 800
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| mainichi.jp | ≈ 90 million / month | #102 class competitor | — |
| nikkei.com | ≈ 67.5 million / month | #103 class competitor | — |
| sankei.com | ≈ 45 million / month | #104 class competitor | — |
What is Asahi Shimbun Digital?
Asahi Shimbun Digital (asahi.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in Japan. The digital edition of one of Japan's largest national dailies, covering news, politics and culture. It ranks #101 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns Asahi Shimbun Digital?
The site is operated by The Asahi Shimbun Company, founded by Murayama Ryohei, Ueno Riichi. The company was established in 1879 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It employs around 4,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Asahi Shimbun Digital at roughly 150 million visits per month, about 5 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How Asahi Shimbun Digital makes money
Revenue comes primarily from subscriptions, alongside digital advertising, print sales.
Competitors in Japan
Its closest rivals include mainichi.jp, nikkei.com, sankei.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1879
Asahi Shimbun Digital is founded in Tokyo, Japan.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #101 among the most visited websites in Japan.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Asahi Shimbun Digital?
Asahi Shimbun Digital is operated by The Asahi Shimbun Company. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Asahi Shimbun Digital headquartered?
Asahi Shimbun Digital is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
When was Asahi Shimbun Digital founded?
Asahi Shimbun Digital was founded in 1879 by Murayama Ryohei, Ueno Riichi.
How many employees does Asahi Shimbun Digital have?
Asahi Shimbun Digital employs approximately 4,000+ people.
What is Asahi Shimbun Digital's revenue?
Asahi Shimbun Digital's revenue: ≈ $2.5 billion annual revenue (est.).
Who are Asahi Shimbun Digital's competitors?
Main competitors in Japan include mainichi.jp, nikkei.com, sankei.com.
How does Asahi Shimbun Digital make money?
Mainly subscriptions, digital advertising, print sales.
Is Asahi Shimbun Digital publicly traded?
No — Asahi Shimbun Digital is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by The Asahi Shimbun Company.
How many visitors does Asahi Shimbun Digital get?
Third-party estimates place Asahi Shimbun Digital at roughly 150 million visits per month, mostly from Japan, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is Asahi Shimbun Digital safe?
Asahi Shimbun Digital is an established news & media site founded in 1879 and ranked #101 in Japan; use the official domain asahi.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsasahi.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageJapan and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos