According to Facebook, the social networking giant has racked up over 10 million active users in Japan, a number that is double of what was reported only six months ago.

Like the iPhone, Facebook has needed some time to build popularity in the Far East, but it looks like Japanese users are accepting the concept. The policy of requiring real names and encouraging users to upload pictures and personal information is quite different to the more traditional, and popular, Japanese networks like Mixi, where most people adopt fake names or avatars are are reluctant to show their faces. Despite this sudden growth, Mixi still has the lead with 15.2 million active users reported last quarter and over 26.2 million in total. However, with not much growth in the past few months, they may not be able to hold onto the lead for too long.