Public Libraries
Number of libraries --- April 2005 2008
  municipal government ordinance city special ward town village total prefecture
number of local governments 766 17 23 812 193 1,811 47
number of local governments that have library services 751 17 23 483 43 1,317 47
Percentage 98.0% 100% 100% 59.5% 22.3% 72.7% 100%
number of libraries * 1,959 256 218 564 46 3,043 62
population per each library 41,100 93,900 38,300 15,400 7,300 40,100 2,049,200
    municipal, government ordinance city, special ward: 791/806=98.1%
    town and village: 526/1,00552.3  *This number excludes one regional library
Budget for materials (10,000 yen)
  %:prefectures accounting for total budget
fiscal year number of libraries budget for materials per each library prefecture  %
1993 2,091 3,381,606 1,617 451,446 13.3
1994 2,180 3,393,226 1,557 447,334 13.2
1995 2,270 3,497,602 1,541 452,333 12.9
1996 2,336 3,594,158 1,539 434,937 12.1
1997 2,423 3,625,861 1,496 450,150 12.4
1998 2,499 3,648,930 1,460 428,179 11.7
1999 2,560 3,676,344 1,436 406,936 11.1
2000 2,613 3,615,654 1,384 385,097 10.6
2001 2,655 3,535,152 1,332 372,270 10.5
2002 2,686 3,491,479 1,300 365,532 10.5
2003 2,735 3,348,285 1,224 359,702 10.7
2004 2,803 3,327,680 1,187 336,713 10.1
2005 2,931 3,211,166 1,096 325,487 10.1
2006 3,062 3,135,476 1,024 324,877 10.4
2007 3,091 3,151,650 1,020 310,567 9.9
2008 3,106 3,126,922 1,006 291,992 9.3
fiscal year number of libraries librarian
Staffing: Librarian staffs professional librarian rate %
1990 1,898 13,255 6,754 50.95
1991 1,955 13,631 6,964 51.09
1992 2,011 14,200 7,265 51.16
1993 2,091 14,699 7,517 51.14
1994 2,180 15,152 7,728 51.08
1995 2,270 15,000 7,733 51.55
1996 2,336 15,172 7,745 51.05
1997 2,423 15,359 7,858 51.16
1998 2,499 15,429 7,894 51.16
1999 2,560 15,356 7,800 50.79
2000 2,613 15,175 7,592 50.03
2001 2,655 15,228 7,518 49.37
2002 2,686 15,181 7,426 48.92
2003 2,735 14,829 7,275 49.06
2004 2,803 14,572 7,176 49.25
2005 2,931 14,206 7,042 49.57
2006 3,062 13,987 6,988 49.96
2007 3,091 13,489 6,873 50.95
2008 3,106 13,036 6,541 50.18