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 1986.
| Issue date | Song | Artist(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 6 | "Koi ni Ochite: Fall in Love" | Akiko Kobayashi | [1] |
| January 13 | "Fuyu no Opera-Glass" | Eri Nitta | |
| January 20 | |||
| January 27 | |||
| February 3 | "Banana no Namida" | Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi | |
| February 10 | "Kuchibiru Network" | Yukiko Okada | |
| February 17 | "Desire (Jōnetsu)" | Akina Nakamori | |
| February 24 | Broken Sunset | Momoko Kikuchi | |
| March 3 | "Jā ne" | Onyanko Club | |
| March 10 | "Kisetsu Hazure no Koi" | Akie Yoshizawa | |
| March 17 | |||
| March 24 | "My Revolution" | Misato Watanabe | |
| March 31 | "Aoi Station" | Sonoko Kawai | |
| April 7 | |||
| April 14 | "Watashi wa Rika-chan" | Nyangilas | |
| April 21 | "Koi no Rope wo Hodokanai de" | Eri Nitta | |
| April 28 | |||
| May 5 | "Otto CHIKAN!" | Onyanko Club | |
| May 12 | "Zō-san no Scanty" | Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi | |
| May 19 | "Natsu wo Matenai" | Sayuri Kokushō | |
| May 26 | "Natsu Iro Kataomoi" | Momoko Kikuchi | |
| June 2 | "Kaze no Invitation" | Satomi Fukunaga | |
| June 9 | "Gypsy Queen" | Akina Nakamori | |
| June 16 | "Song for U.S.A" | The Checkers | |
| June 23 | "Ajisai Bashi" | Sanae Jonouchi | |
| June 30 | "Jibun de Yūnomo Nan Desukeredo" | Nyangilas | |
| July 7 | "Cinderella-tachi e no Dengon" | Mamiko Takai | |
| July 14 | "Saikai no Labyrinth" | Sonoko Kawai | |
| July 21 | "Diamond Eyes" | Shonentai | |
| July 28 | "Hitomi ni Yakusoku" | Minayo Watanabe | |
| August 4 | "Osaki ni Shitsurei" | Onyanko Club | |
| August 11 | "Fushigi na Tejina no Yoni" | Eri Nitta | |
| August 18 | "Skipped Beat" | Kuwata Band | |
| August 25 | "Noble Red no Toki" | Sayuri Kokushō | |
| September 1 | "Aozora no Kakera" | Yuki Saito | |
| September 8 | "Nagisa no Kagikakko" | Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi | |
| September 15 | "Say Yes!" | Momoko Kikuchi | |
| September 22 | "Kagami no Naka no Watashi" | Akie Yoshizawa | |
| September 29 | "Melody" | Mamiko Takai | |
| October 6 | "Fin" | Akina Nakamori | |
| October 13 | "Cha-Cha-Cha" | Akemi Ishii | |
| October 20 | "Shin Kōkyū Shite" | Marina Watanabe | |
| October 27 | "Yuki no Kaerimichi" | Minayo Watanabe | |
| November 3 | "Kanashii Yoru wo Tomete" | Sonoko Kawai | |
| November 10 | "Koi wa Question" | Onyanko Club | |
| November 17 | "One Day" | Kuwata Band | |
| November 24 | "Naisho de Love Story" | Eri Nitta | |
| December 1 | "Waza-Ari!" | Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi | |
| December 8 | "Ballad no Yoni Nemure" | Shonentai | |
| December 15 | "Ano Natsu no Bike" | Sayuri Kokushō | |
| December 22 | "Naimono Nedari no I Want You" | C-C-B | |
| December 29 | "Yakusoku" | Mamiko Takai |