This is a list of the best-selling singles in 1996 in Japan, as reported by Oricon.[1]
| Ranking | Single | Artist | Release | Sales | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Namonaki Uta" | Mr. Children | 2,303,000 | ||
| 2 | "Departures" | Globe | 2,272,000 | ||
| 3 | "La La La Love Song" | Toshinobu Kubota with Naomi Campbell | 1,613,000 | ||
| 4 | "Cherry" | Spitz | 1,539,000 | ||
| 5 | "Hana (Mémento Mori)" | Mr. Children | 1,539,000 | ||
| 6 | "Sora mo Toberuhazu" | Spitz | 1,432,000 | ||
| 7 | "Ai no Kotodama (Spiritual Message)" | Southern All Stars | 1,381,000 | ||
| 8 | "I'm Proud" | Tomomi Kahara | 1,372,000 | ||
| 9 | "Don't Wanna Cry" | Namie Amuro | 1,372,000 | ||
| 10 | "Chase the Chance" | 1,362,000 | |||
| 11 | "Mienai Chikara (Invisible One)/Move" | B'z | 1,236,000 | ||
| 12 | "Real Thing Shakes" | 1,140,000 | |||
| 13 | "You're My Sunshine" | Namie Amuro | 1,098,000 | ||
| 14 | "Anata ni Aitakute (Missing You)" | Seiko Matsuda | 1,089,000 | ||
| 15 | "Asia no Junshin" | Puffy | 1,057,000 | ||
| 16 | "Kore ga Watashi no Ikiru Michi" | 1,057,000 | |||
| 17 | "Alice" | My Little Lover | 1,033,000 | ||
| 18 | "Sobakasu" | Judy and Mary | 1,030,000 | ||
| 19 | "My Friend" | Zard | 1,000,000 | ||
| 20 | "To Love You More" | Celine Dion with Kryzler & Kpmpany | 999,000 |