Growing Pains as Japan Embraces the Cashless Trend

Economy, News

It’s been said that cash is king, but in today’s economy that may not always be the case. The cashless trend is a global phenomenon, and while it has been relatively slow to develop in Japan, it has gained a lot of ground recently as new technologies become embedded in daily life. It’s important to know what this means, both for businesses and consumers. So what is “cashless,” anyway? Cashless refers to any method of paying for goods or services that does not involve paper money or coins. This means that any payment made by credit or debit cards, electronic transfers by bank account numbers or QR codes, and services…

Social Media

The 6 Most-Used SNS Platforms in Japan

Digital Marketing, Social Media

Social networking sites, or SNS for short, are widely used around the world by people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s not unusual to have multiple SNS accounts, or for one user to utilize one platform for multiple purposes. Each platform has a slightly different target user and purpose, although there is a lot of overlap. Japan is no exception, with the average adult being registered on several different platforms. However, Japanese users differ from those in other countries as to which SNS platforms are preferred. As an example, Instagram was slower to catch on in Japan than it was in other places, although its Japanese user base is now…

Top eCommerce marketplaces in Japan

Digital Marketing, ecommerce

If you’ve purchased something online recently, you’re not alone: in the year 2020, some 2 billion people are expected to make online purchases. ECommerce is big business, and it continues to grow year after year. Japan’s eCommerce market has quickly established itself as one of the most competitive markets in the world, and for good reason. With each household in the Kanto region spending an average of 7,234 yen per month on online purchases, eCommerce has established itself as the most lucrative marketplace for many retail businesses. Japanese consumers are an enthusiastic market, and there’s a platform for nearly every type of retailer. Here’s a rundown of the most popular…

An Overview of Social Media in Japan

Digital Marketing, Social Media

An overview of social media in Japan Without question social media has firmly established itself as a significant part of our day to day lives. While the overall impact social media in Japan has had more or less mirrors that of the west, namely the widespread adoption and penetration of the biggest platforms, a few notable differences exist. In this article we will focus on the most popular social networks in Japan and give some insights into the differences between Japanese users and western users. LINE  LINE is the most popular and successful messaging app in Japan. What makes LINE different in comparison to the originally web-based social media platforms,…