Entered the Japanese Market but Not Selling? What Is “Local Perspective Marketing”?

Many foreign companies have entered the Japanese market, only to face challenges such as: “It’s not selling as expected,” “We receive no inquiries at all,” or “Even with ad spending, there are no results.”

In many cases, the cause is not the quality of the product or service itself, but rather the lack of local-oriented marketing.

For example, even products or brands that have succeeded in Europe, the U.S., or China are often not chosen by Japanese consumers. The reasons include: “Unfamiliar,” “Uncertain,” “Hard to understand.”

This is not simply a language problem. The issue lies in applying the same promotional strategies used overseas without understanding Japan’s unique culture, values, and consumer behavior.

Website Localization Is the First Step

Many companies machine-translate their English websites and publish them as “Japanese versions.” However, Japanese users are highly sensitive to literal translations and often feel that such sites are “suspicious” or “untrustworthy.” What’s needed is not just translation, but “cultural translation”—expressions that align with the Japanese sense of language and values.

For instance, instead of a button that says “Buy Now,” which sounds pushy, Japanese users often prefer softer expressions like “View materials for free” or “See details.” In Japan, giving the impression of hard selling can immediately drive users away.

Differences in Digital Advertising Channels

The use of web ads and social media also differs greatly in Japan. - In the West, Instagram and Facebook dominate. - In Japan, X (formerly Twitter) and LINE have extremely high usage rates.

出展：令和5年度情報通信メディアの利用時間と情報行動に関する調査報告書 概要

Therefore, it’s crucial to strategically select advertising channels based on the target audience: - Teens and 20s → TikTok - Women in their 30s–50s → Instagram ads - Seniors 60+ → Yahoo! ads

Building Trust Is Essential

Communicating the trustworthiness of a product or service is critical. Japanese users place high importance on elements such as: - Track record of adoption, - Reviews, - Certification marks, - FAQs.

In particular, for overseas brands unfamiliar to them, Japanese consumers tend not to purchase unless they feel reassured that “everyone is using it.” Publishing user testimonials, corporate case studies, and expert commentary online is strongly recommended.

Strengthening Online Presence

Foreign companies that relied on offline activities (exhibitions, sales visits) often fail to expand awareness in the digital domain. However, in modern Japan, most prospects collect information through search engines and social media before making inquiries or entering negotiations. Thus, strengthening one’s online presence is absolutely essential.

Tailoring Content to Japanese Audiences

It is also necessary to clearly define the target Japanese customer persona and create content accordingly.

• B2B: The flow “Problem → Solution → Track Record → Assurance” works effectively.
• B2C: A more emotional approach such as “Empathy → Usage Image → Word of Mouth → Purchase” is often effective.

In Conclusion

Even if the product itself has no issues, results will not follow without a marketing strategy that reflects Japan’s unique user psychology, search behavior, and cultural background. Conversely, adjusting expressions and channels to local needs can dramatically improve sales in a short time.

Would you like to work together on digital marketing that Japanese consumers will find engaging, trustworthy, and ultimately lead to purchases?