The Diffusion of Mobile Internet in Japan

In Japan, the mobile phone has become an increasingly popular medium of accessing the Internet and e-mail, especially among those who may not have affordable access to a computer. The lower startup costs and the easier overall accessibility of mobile phones relative to personal computers suggest that the mobile phone may be a possible alternative for overcoming unequal access to information communication technology in Japan and elsewhere. Using microdata from 2001, we compare and contrast the determinants of mobile versus computer-based Internet in Japan. Our findings show that mobile Internet access, as compared to computer access, is determined less by demographics, socioeconomic status, and technological readiness, suggesting that barriers to Internet access are lower for mobile phones than is the case for computers.

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