[Golden Week Smartphone Charging Survey] Approx. 2 in 3 Experience 'Battery Anxiety'! No.1 Issue is 'Inability to Make Cashless Payments (51.8%)'

INFORICH Inc. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director and Group CEO: Hironobu Akiyama, hereinafter "INFORICH"), operator of the mobile battery sharing service "ChargeSPOT™", conducted a survey targeting 4,271 ChargeSPOT app users to understand the realities of outings and smartphone charging during the Golden Week (hereinafter "GW") period in 2026.

[Survey Results Summary]

- [GW Activities] Active outings stood out, with destinations such as "Dining out/Drinking parties" (25.3%) and "Domestic travel" (25%), making it a major consumption event where approximately 34.4% spent "30,000 yen or more."
- [Smartphone Usage] Uses while out were dominated by battery-draining features such as "Photo/Video shooting" (66.4%) and "Maps/Navigation" (63.1%).
- [Battery Anxiety] 66.4% (about 2 in 3 people) experienced anxiety about remaining smartphone battery while out during GW.
- [The Biggest Critical Issue] The number one source of anxiety due to lack of charge was the "Inability to make cashless payments" (51.8%). It became evident that a dead battery directly leads to real financial harm.
- [Increasing Charging Demand] The percentage of people who charged their phones while out was 76.6%, of which 27.4% charged 4 times or more, establishing a steady need for multiple charges.

Q1: Please tell us your main destinations while out during this year's Golden Week period. (Multiple answers allowed, n=4,271)

While "Spent time mainly at home" (30.8%) was the most common, active outing segments were also prominent, such as "Dining out/Drinking parties" (25.3%) and "Domestic travel" (25%). Following the recovery of domestic and international tourism demand post-COVID-19, it was once again highlighted that GW is one of Japan's largest outing seasons.

Q2: How much did you spend in total during this year's Golden Week period? (Single answer, n=4,271)

The most common total expenditure during GW was "10,000 to 30,000 yen" (33%), but those who consumed 30,000 yen or more also totaled 34.4%, revealing the reality that GW functions as a major consumption event. As opportunities to go out increase, dependence on digital devices, especially smartphones, has heightened, making securing a charging environment a factor that influences the quality of outings.

Q3: Please tell us the main uses for your smartphone while out during this year's Golden Week period. (Multiple answers allowed, n=4,271)

1st place was "Photo/Video shooting" (66.1%), 2nd place was "Messaging/Calls" (64.9%), and 3rd place was "Cashless payments" (63.7%). Due to the combined use of particularly battery-draining features such as camera functions, GPS, and payment functions, smartphones are operating at full capacity while out during GW.

Q4: Did you experience any anxiety regarding your remaining smartphone battery while out during this year's Golden Week period? (Single answer, n=4,271)

Combining "Very often" (25.3%) and "Several times" (41.1%), it was found that a full 66.4% (about 2 in 3 people) felt anxiety about their remaining battery level. In modern times where smartphones are heavily used for multiple purposes, securing a charging environment is transforming from a "nice-to-have" convenience into a "must-have" infrastructure.

Q5: Please tell us what troubled you or made you anxious due to a lack of smartphone charge. (Multiple answers allowed, n=4,271)

The number one issue that caused the most anxiety due to lack of charge was the "Inability to make cashless payments" (51.8%). Over half of the respondents experienced payment anxiety due to a dead battery during GW, revealing the reality that the advancement of cashless systems has conversely heightened the risk of running out of battery. This was followed by "Difficulty contacting family and friends" (48.2%) in 2nd place, "Inability to view maps/navigation" (47.7%) in 3rd place, and "Inability to shoot photos/videos" (30%) in 4th place, showing that the smartphone supports the very foundation of the GW experience.

Q6: Please tell us the number of times you charged your smartphone while out during this year's Golden Week period. (Single answer, n=4,271)

The percentage of those who charged while out during the GW period reached 76.6%, with the highest being "2 to 3 times" (31.5%). Furthermore, when combining "4 to 5 times" (11.3%) and "6 times or more" (16.1%), those who charged 4 times or more reached 27.4%. For outings during long holidays, charging once a day is sometimes insufficient, increasing the importance of charging infrastructure while on the go.

■ Summary
From this survey, it was reaffirmed that in modern outings, a smartphone charging environment is not just "convenient to have," but an indispensable infrastructure "without which economic activities and movement are restricted." Particularly with the widespread adoption of cashless payments, a dead battery instantly takes away the fun of an outing.