Next Level

12/05/2026

Japan's Ad Market Crosses 50% Digital: What Matters for 2026

Japan's total ad spend reached a record ¥8,062.3 billion (~USD 54 billion) in 2025, and for the first time since estimates began in 1996, internet advertising surpassed half of total ad spend — 50.2%, at ¥4,045.9 billion.

For context, the US sits near 77% digital share and Europe around 67% — Japan is still catching up, but closing the gap fast, with digital growing more than twice as quickly as the overall market in 2025.

The headline milestone matters, but the more useful signal for brands is which channels are driving the growth.

In our latest article, we break down Dentsu's 2025 report and what it means for brands planning 2026 budgets in Japan.

We cover:
• Why social has overtaken search as Japan's largest digital channel
• How instream and outstream video reached near-parity, and what that means for allocation
• Where connected TV and OTT fit in the 2026 mix
• Why search remains essential but is no longer the default starting point
• What the 2026 forecast signals for brand planning

The question for 2026 is no longer whether to shift to digital — it's how to allocate across social, video, and CTV as a coordinated ecosystem.

🔗 Read the full article via the link in the comments.

07/04/2026

Social Ads in Japan: What Will Matter in 2026

Social ads now represent more than one third of Japan’s total digital advertising spend, exceeding ¥1.1 trillion annually.

Platforms such as Meta, YouTube, LINE, TikTok, and X have become core growth infrastructure for brands operating in Japan.

Yet despite this scale, social advertising is still often underused or misapplied.
In our latest article, we outline what will actually matter for social ad performance in Japan in 2026, based on how platforms and advertiser behavior are already evolving.

The challenge for brands is no longer whether social works for them — but how it’s used.

We break down:
• Why most social ads platforms should be evaluated as performance channel, not support ones
• How to structure full-funnel strategies by product, not platform
• Why over-investing in lower funnel creates growth ceilings
• The role of seasonality and creative testing in Japan
• Why platform ROAS alone gives a partial view of performance

🔗 Read the full article via the link in the comments.

10/12/2025

Comparison of Japan’s Top E-Commerce Marketplaces

Japan’s e-commerce market is one of the most mature in the world — and the three main marketplaces play very different roles.

✅ Amazon Japan dominates with speed, convenience, and price competitiveness.
✅ Rakuten Ichiba wins on loyalty and branding, supported by 31M+ Rakuten credit card users and 100M+ Loyalty Point members.
✅ Yahoo! Shopping remains a cost-efficient platform through its PayPay ecosystem and search visibility.

Most Japanese consumers use both Amazon and Rakuten.
For overseas new entrants, Amazon is very cross border friendly with its FBA services and ACP process. Rakuten and Yahoo! Shopping require local 3PLs or importers.

If you’re launching or scaling in Japan, understanding these platform dynamics can make or break your strategy.

🔗 Read the full comparison here:https://nextlevel.global/blog/2025/10/22/japan-ecommerce-marketplace-comparison/

02/12/2025

From Online to Offline: Using Meta Ads to Drive Store Sales in Japan

Most retailers in Japan still focus their Meta ads on driving e-commerce—even though a majority of sales still happen in-store.

Meta’s Offline Conversions API (CAPI) changes the game by letting brands track real-world purchases triggered by online campaigns.

✅ Attribute boutique visits and in-store sales to Meta ads
✅ Optimize targeting based on actual offline buyers
✅ Build custom audiences that go beyond clicks

And now, it’s becoming essential:
Meta will soon launch Omnichannel Ads in Japan, designed to boost foot traffic and highlight nearby store inventory—but only for brands that have Offline CAPI integrated.

If you are a retailer in Japan and your Meta strategy stops at the website, you may be missing a large portion of the impact.

🛠️ At Next Level, we help brands connect CRM, POS, or loyalty data directly to Meta for smarter ad performance and full-funnel visibility.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://nextlevel.global/blog/2025/08/27/meta-offline-conversions-japan/

26/08/2025

TikTok Shop Has Officially Launched in Japan

Last month, TikTok Shop launched in Japan—bringing a fully integrated shopping experience directly into the app, via videos, livestreams, and creator partnerships.

With over 39 million users locally, this marks a turning point for social commerce in one of the world’s most mobile-savvy and creator-driven markets.

📈 Already proven in Southeast Asia and the U.S., TikTok’s “shoppertainment” model is now going live in Japan.

What’s changing?
🟢Shopping becomes native—no external sites, no friction
🟢Creators and livestreams drive sales, not just awareness
⚠️ TikTok owns the data—no customer emails, no retargeting outside the app
⚠️ Not all brands will fit: luxury and brand-sensitive businesses must vet creators carefully

At Next Level, we see TikTok Shop as a high-potential channel—but only for brands that can scale volume content, partner with the right influencers, and adapt to a closed-loop, platform-first ecosystem.

🔗 Full breakdown here: https://nextlevel.global/blog/2025/07/31/tiktok-shop-officially-launches-in-japan/

05/08/2025

Japan’s Advertising Market and Social Ads Hit Record High in 2024

Japan's total ad spend soared to a record ¥7,673 billion (~ USD 53 billion) in 2024, with social media advertising surpassing the ¥1 trillion milestone for the first time.​

💡 Digital advertising continues to lead, now accounting for 47.6% of total spend, driven by substantial growth in video and social media platforms.​

Key Highlights:
🟢 Digital ad spend: ¥3,650 billion (+9.6% YoY)
🟢 Video ads: ¥844 billion (+23% YoY)
🟢 Social media ads: ¥1,100 billion (+13.1% YoY)​

📺 Traditional media also returned to growth for the first time in three years, while Connected TV (CTV) and programmatic advertising are gaining momentum.​

As Japan's media landscape evolves, we believe at NLJ that brands must adopt social-first and video-centric strategies to stay competitive.​

🔗 Full analysis link here: https://nextlevel.global/blog/2025/05/07/japan-advertising-2024-ai-social-media-growth/

02/08/2025

Digital Marketing in Japan: Should you use TikTok ?

With the ongoing TikTok ban discussions in the U.S., discussions about the platform’s future are intensifying. However, Japan remains unaffected, and TikTok continues to dominate attention spans.

Despite its massive reach, TikTok remains underutilized by Japanese advertisers. While it offers lower CPMs and, when optimized, can achieve a competitive CPA, many brands hesitate due to concerns over tracking, brand safety, and conversion reliability.

But with new search ads, AI-powered Smart+ campaigns, and an expanding e-commerce ecosystem, TikTok is evolving beyond just a branding tool.
Could it become a serious acquisition platform in Japan?

We break it all down in our blog section —check the article here: https://nextlevel.global/blog/2025/02/07/tiktok-in-japan-is-it-a-viable-marketing-platform/

31/07/2025

How to Use LINE for Marketing: Insights for Engaging Japan’s Most Connected Audience

With over 90 million active users, LINE is more than a messaging app—it’s a hub for communication, shopping, payments, and more. For brands, it’s an essential platform to connect with Japanese consumers.

From cost-effective Official Accounts to tools like LINE Ads, rich video messages, and even VOOM’s video-sharing updates, LINE provides unmatched opportunities for driving engagement, building loyalty, and even boosting foot traffic to stores.

We’ve outlined strategies, insights, and trends in our latest blog post.

Don’t miss it—check it here: https://nextlevel.global/blog/2024/12/19/how-to-use-line-for-marketing-insights-for-engaging-japans-most-connected-audience/

04/12/2024

Some super inspirational speakers yesterday at the French Chamber of Commerce's French Japanese Business Summit. Congratulations to the team for an inspiring event and a well-curated panel.

08/08/2024

2024年8月より国連グローバル・コンパクトに参加いたしました！

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