LINE in Japan: Why It's Not Optional and How to Use It as a Foreigner
Quick Answer LINE is Japan’s dominant messaging app with over 96 million active users — effectively the national communication infrastructure. Your employer will use it for team updates, your doctor’s clinic may have a LINE account for appointments, your kids’ school communicates via LINE, and Japanese friends will expect to exchange LINE IDs, not phone numbers. Download it before you arrive, register with your Japanese phone number, and treat it as an essential utility, not a social media app. ...