The highest-selling singles in Japan are ranked in the Oricon Singles Chart, which is published by Oricon Style magazine. The data are compiled by Oricon based on each singles' physical sales. This list includes the singles that reached the number one place on that chart in 1971.
| Issue date | Song | Artist(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 4 | "Hashire Kōtarō" | Salty Sugar | [1] |
| January 11 | "As the Years Go By" Japanese title: "Kiri no Naka no Futari" (霧の中の二人, lit. "Two in the Fog") |
Mashmakhan | |
| January 18 | |||
| January 25 | "Bōkyō" | Shinichi Mori | |
| February 1 | |||
| February 8 | |||
| February 15 | "Hanayome" | Norihiko Hashida & Climax | |
| February 22 | |||
| March 1 | "Shiretoko Ryojō" | Tokiko Kato | |
| March 8 | |||
| March 15 | |||
| March 22 | |||
| March 29 | |||
| April 5 | |||
| April 12 | |||
| April 19 | "Naomi no Yume" | Hedva & David | |
| April 26 | |||
| May 3 | |||
| May 10 | |||
| May 17 | "Mata Au Hi Made" | Kiyohiko Ozaki | |
| May 24 | |||
| May 31 | |||
| June 7 | |||
| June 14 | |||
| June 21 | |||
| June 28 | |||
| July 5 | |||
| July 12 | |||
| July 19 | "Yokohama Tasogare" | Hiroshi Itsuki | |
| July 26 | "Watashi no Jōkamachi" | Rumiko Koyanagi | |
| August 2 | |||
| August 9 | |||
| August 16 | |||
| August 23 | |||
| August 30 | |||
| September 6 | |||
| September 13 | |||
| September 20 | |||
| September 27 | |||
| October 4 | |||
| October 11 | |||
| October 18 | "Ame no Ballad" | Masayuki Yuhara | |
| October 25 | |||
| November 1 | |||
| November 8 | "Ame no Midōsuji" | Ouyang Fei Fei | |
| November 15 | |||
| November 22 | |||
| November 29 | |||
| December 6 | |||
| December 13 | |||
| December 20 | |||
| December 27 |