Is LINE Japan’s WeChat? A lowcost customer acquisition strategy starting with “localized social media operations.” 

When overseas companies enter the Japanese market, the biggest challenge they face is “localization.”

Beyond product translation and price adjustments, what is required is marketing design tailored to “Japanese lifestyles, culture, and communication habits.”

 
Among these, the SNS with overwhelming influence unique to Japan is LINE

With higher open and response rates than email or Facebook, and deeply embedded in users’ daily lives, 

this platform can be described as the most essential tool for overseas brands to build trust in Japan. 

The Influence of LINE in Japan

As of 2024, LINE has over 95 million monthly active users (MAU), with approximately 75% of Japan’s population using the service—an astonishing level of penetration. 

Its usage extends far beyond chat, encompassing news consumption, cashless payments, sticker culture, e-commerce, point management, reservation functions, and more—spanning nearly every aspect of daily life.

It is no exaggeration to say that LINE has become part of “Japan’s social infrastructure.” As such, attempting to enter the Japanese market without using LINE is much like entering the Chinese market without using WeChat.

Why Foreign Companies Should Use LINE

A LINE Official Account can be created even without having a branch office in Japan. In other words, it can be operated as a “virtual Japanese presence” from overseas. 

In addition, LINE boasts extremely high notification open rates, making it easier to gain user engagement than email. By naturally delivering product information and campaign messages through chats, companies can smoothly guide users from brand awareness to purchase. 

LINE is not just a messaging app—it is “the most familiar information channel” for Japanese users. That is why it is the ideal first touchpoint for overseas companies to connect with customers in Japan. 

How to Use a LINE Official Account

Designing User Journeys with Rich Menus

By leveraging rich menus, users can be smoothly guided to LPs (landing pages), product pages, reservation forms, and more. In Japan, guided user flows are often preferred over “searching on one’s own,” making this feature highly effective for improving UX. 

One-to-One Marketing with Step Messages & Tag Management

Step messaging and tag management—where content changes based on user behavior— enable “careful and personalized communication” tailored to Japanese users. With higher open rates than email, these methods significantly increase conversion rates for purchases and inquiries. 

Boost Engagement with Coupons and Lottery Campaigns

LINE’s coupon and lottery features are ideal for participatory campaigns. By leveraging Japanese consumer psychology, which responds strongly to words like “deals,” “limited,” and “lottery,” brands can increase favorability and engagement.  

Digital Customer Acquisition with LINE Ads

LINE Ads can be launched from as little as 1,000 yen per day, making them well suited for test marketing. With diverse ad placements such as timelines, chat lists, and VOOM (video feeds), advertisers can perform detailed targeting based on age, location, interests, and more.

In addition, results can be visualized numerically, enabling rapid PDCA cycles. Starting with a small budget and improving based on results makes this a highly effective “low-risk strategy.”

Operations That Feel “Local” Build Trust

The most important elements of LINE management are “natural Japanese language” and “cultural context.”

Messages that rely on machine translation or literal wording retain a “foreign brand feel,” making it difficult to gain the trust of Japanese users. 

It is important to keep the following points in mind: 

・Natural Japanese expressions supervised by native speakers
・Messages that incorporate seasonality and daily life
・Proper use of polite and honorific language
・Posts aligned with Japanese holidays and events<

By creating this sense of “local authenticity,” the psychological distance with users is reduced, enhancing familiarity and trust in the brand. 

Conclusion: The First Step in “Localized Marketing” Starts with LINE

LINE is the most efficient and low-cost marketing tool that allows brands to “blend naturally” into the Japanese market—even without a local branch. 

Because CRM, advertising, branding, and promotions can all be managed in one place, companies can achieve maximum results even with limited resources. 

Just as WeChat is infrastructure in China, LINE is infrastructure in Japan. If you aim to succeed in the Japanese market, start by building a “localized digital strategy” centered around LINE.