japan-used-smartphone-sales-top-3-6-million-a-seventh-straight-record
# used smartphones# secondhand economy# Japan consumers
Key Points
- Japan's used smartphone sales exceeded 3.6 million units in FY2025, a seventh straight record
- Soaring new-phone prices driven by the weak yen are the main push factor
- Certified refurbishing and warranties have normalized secondhand buying
Analysis
Used smartphone sales in Japan topped 3.6 million units in FY2025, a seventh consecutive record, per a private research firm. The push is new-phone pricing — the weak yen and component costs have driven flagships toward the 200,000-yen mark; the pull is mature secondhand infrastructure: certified refurbs, battery-health labeling and warranties. It is one more panel in the same picture as izakaya bankruptcies and food price hikes: Japanese consumers' wallet-defense economy under inflation.