We are always looking for ways to connect with our audiences around the globe on the platforms that they use on a daily basis, and so we are excited to announce that Wikipedia is now on Line. We’re using it reach our audiences in Japan, which has one of the most-active Wikipedia communities in the world, and you can join us.

LINE is a messaging app that is particularly popular in Taiwan, Thailand, and Japan, a country where over 70 million people—about 60% of the nation—use the app on a daily basis. Line is the first chat platform managed by the Wikimedia Foundation to be maintained exclusively in Japanese.

We are a global organization and our digital media efforts must reflect the global scale of our work as well. Wikimedia is broadening efforts to help Wikipedia users around the world communicate freely in a global ecosystem. While we’re using LINE to increase communication and collaboration with users in Japan, we’re also looking into piloting initiatives on other platforms where our global community of editors and readers communicate.

When you reach out to @Wikipedia or @Wikimedia on Twitter, you’re talking to the Wikimedia Foundation’s digital media team. Sometimes we help you with your homework, explain how to edit Wikipedia, or give you context on current events. We’re launching Line to bring more of our resources to the streets (of Japan) today, and hopefully many, many more countries, languages, and communities in the future.

Japanese Wikipedia readers and contributors can join us on Line for interesting facts and news in Japanese.

If you’re a Japanese-speaking Wikipedian and want to get involved with our Line account, message us or send an email to digitalmedia[at]wikimedia[dot]org. We’d love to have your help!

Aubrie Johnson, Social Media Associate, Communications
Wikimedia Foundation