Are you looking for a social media and influencer marketing agency in Japan? Say no more. We have compiled a list of the 17 best marketing agencies to help you succeed in Japan!
Japan’s upward technological trend led to the increased importance of social media and influencer marketing. The annual expenditure in Japan for influencer marketing was estimated to be 31.7 billion yen in 2020 alone. This goes to show that the spread of smartphones and increased time spent online by the Japanese market has made online advertising the best way to promote a business.
The Japanese consumers’ online behavior also proves that influencer marketing is the best way to reach your target audience in a less expensive and more effective way. There are over 102 million social media users in Japan. This means that by utilizing social media, a business may reach more than 81% of the entire Japanese population. Japan’s most used social media platforms are Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Findings also show that 70% of teenage YouTube subscribers trust influencer opinions in making purchase decisions. Women, especially, turn to social media platforms to look for reviews and opinions before making a purchase. Influencers also make most of the online content in beauty, compared with content made by the brands themselves.
Now that you know how social media can hype up your brand’s online presence, it’s time for you to look for an advertising and marketing agency that best fits your needs. There are tons of social media and influencer marketing agencies in Japan, but we’ve narrowed it down to the best-of-the-best.
In this article, we curated the top-performing social media and influencer marketing agencies in Japan that can help you introduce your business to the country. Let’s take a look!
Top 17 Social Media Marketing Agencies in Japan
- AJ Marketing
- StarNgage
- JPN Buzz
- GushCloud
- UUUM
- Breaker
- Hashi Media
- Beacon
- TOP Agency
- Frontage
- Promo Japan
- Tokyo Creative
- Real CRO
- Wasabi Creation
- Quaras
- Nikkeisha
- Zo Digital
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AJ Marketing
AJ Marketing holds the title of the best influencer marketing agency in Japan. AJ Marketing has a network of over 7,000 influencers all over Asia whose main social media platforms are Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Its Japan influencers also come from various niches like anime, beauty, tech, fashion, and gaming, so you’re sure to find the best influencer who can represent your brand.
Aside from influencer marketing, AJ Marketing also offers various services like marketing strategy, online advertising, social media marketing, digital billboards, SEO, press release, and celebrity licensing. This agency is the best of both worlds as it has great English-speaking support and a local office in Japan at the same time.
This agency has been trusted by big brands like BMW (MINI), Bytedance (TikTok), AMD, FIBA, and Adobe. It has great insider information that can help your business navigate through this foreign country. You can find more information about the Japanese market in the AJ Marketing Blog.
You can reach their website at
https://www.ajmarketing.io
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StarNgage
StarNgage aims to connect brands with the best content creators from different social media channels such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Facebook. It has a content creator marketplace that is recognized globally, including in Japan. StarNgage also helps brands analyze, customize, manage, and measure word-of-mouth marketing campaigns from Instagram.
StarNgage is well-known for its micro-influencer community all around Asia. StarNgage has worked with several world-renowned brands such as Coca-Cola, Paypal, Ferrari, and Tiktok.
You can reach their website at
https://starngage.com/app/jp
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JPN Buzz
JPN Buzz holds itself as an expert in Japanese digital trends and marketing. This agency is fully integrated with the local Japanese market, but still remains accessible to foreign businesses because of its bilingual staff. JPN Buzz collaborates with top Japanese bloggers, Instagrammers, YouTubers and social media influencers across a wide variety of segments and Japanese platforms. Aside from influencer marketing, it also offers social media marketing and digital PR.
JPN Buzz swears to connect brands with influencers and help them overcome language barriers and cultural issues. This agency has already worked with established brands such as Adidas, Ralph Lauren, Happn, and even the United Nations.
You can reach their website at
https://www.japanbuzz.info/
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GushCloud
GushCloud believes in “creating tomorrow’s positive influence”. It aims to connect audiences and brands with influencers and content creators. They achieve this connection through representation and management, brand strategy, marketing and activation services, media production, sales and distribution, licensing and co-creating signature events.
Not only does this agency offer influencer marketing, it also manages influencers and creates content for social media. It’s an all-in-one agency because it also delves into entertainment, talent management, investments, and even tech. This international agency already has offices in other countries such as Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
They also work with influencers in different fields, such as sports, lifestyle, beauty, fashion, tech, travel, food, music, parenting, and fitness.
You can reach their website at
https://www.gushcloud.com/
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UUUM
If you want to increase your YouTube presence in Japan, UUUM might be right for you. UUUM holds itself as Japan’s leading online creator network, with over 14,000 channels. It claims to be the first YouTuber-focused marketing agency in Japan because its network mainly utilizes Japanese YouTubers with exceptional reach. It also offers content creation services, as it operates its own channels named “BonBon TV” and “Video Pizza”.
Their content creators are from a wide range of categories like gaming, family, fitness, beauty, and comedy. They also offer services in events planning, merchandise, game apps creation, and music production. One might say that UUUM has all a business’ digital needs.
You can reach their website at
https://en.uuum.co.jp/
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Breaker
Breaker, from the name itself, believes in “breaking borders”. Breaker claims to have the largest network of overseas influencers in Japan who can promote their client’s brands and messages. Their influencers come from all over the world with a multitude of languages, and channel categories, and have successfully promoted brands tailored to its client’s specific needs. Aside from influencer marketing, Breaker also offers content production and event production planning.
For its social media services, Breaker offers online video analysis and consultation, YouTube channel operation, social media operation, SEO measures, and copyright management.
You can reach their website at
https://brkr.jp/en/
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Hashi Media
Hashi Media is an agency led by marketers based directly in Tokyo, the heart of Japan. It promises to give businesses peace of mind and security when launching their business in Japan using their company’s unique approach in marketing. It says that you only need 3 things in order to succeed in Japan: social media, influencers, and content.
Hashi offers other services aside from influencer marketing. It also does social media marketing and video production. Hashi Media has already worked with big international clients, like AMD x MSI, Park Hotel, Village House, and Subway.
You can reach their website at
https://hashimedia.com/
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Beacon
Beacon is an international marketing agency which has expanded in Japan. It believes in combining western and eastern strategies to effectively introduce new businesses to the Japanese market. Beacon believes in a “human-centered” approach, making people the center of any solution method they come up with.
Large, established brands have already trusted Beacon with their social media campaigns. Its clients include McDonald’s, Marlboro, KraftHeinz, Visa, Toshiba, and many others.
Beacon does not only focus on social media. It also uses integrated marketing campaigns, utilizing TV commercials, social media, posters, and in-store materials. It used this technique when it worked on McDonald’s environmental campaign of recycling Happy Meal Toys. Over one million toys were recycled in Japan with Beacon’s help.
You can reach their website at
https://www.beaconcom.jp/
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TOP Agency
TOP is a global agency network which follows the process of “Test, Optimize, Perform”. TOP is not a single marketing agency, but a collection of 12 marketing agencies with different specialties. Its Japan location specifically aims to make sure companies with incredible products can stand out in a competitive market. It helps businesses understand the complexities of Japanese culture and language.
TOP offers almost anything under the sun when it comes to advertising. Specifically for digital advertising, it offers e-commerce services, email marketing, influencer marketing, micro-influencer marketing, SEO, social media marketing, and web development.
TOP has already worked with well-known international brands such as Budweiser, Coca-Cola, Del Monte, Ooma, and Postmates.
You can reach their website at
https://topagency.com/
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Frontage
Frontage believes in moving the emotions of the audience to drive more conversions for a business. It also aims to produce marketing and advertising campaigns that people have yet to see. Frontage has three major strategies in helping its clients: problem-finding, idea power, and realization power. 
Its unique services include motivation and communication design. In addition to digital media, Frontage can handle various media such as television, newspapers, magazines, radio, and OOH nationwide.
Frontage has already launched successful social media campaigns for different clients. One of its biggest clients is the Sony Xperia PRO I where Frontage took charge of producing Sony’s online video content. The video received massive exposure in the Japanese market, with over 700,000 views on YouTube.
You can reach their website at
https://www.frontage.jp/
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Promo Japan
Promo Japan’s mission is to deliver the world to Japan, and Japan to the world. It aims to increase exposure for Japanese brands, and at the same time, introduce foreign brands to the Japanese market. It undertakes to help businesses extend their brands to a new audience, drive sales, and realize their untapped potential.
Promo Japan’s first questions to its clients are “What audience are you trying to reach?” and “What are the goals of your campaign?”. After answering this, Promo Japan will help you find the right Japanese YouTuber that can help you reach your target market and achieve your campaign objectives.
One of its influencer marketing campaigns in Japan is its promotion for Canva Pro. Promo Japan collaborated with Japanese influencer YMK/iPad and they created a YouTube video showing the audience what creative Instagram posts they can make using a simple iPad and the Canva Pro. The video gained over 8,000 views and more than 200 engagements from viewers.
You can reach their website at
https://promojapan.net/en
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Tokyo Creative
Tokyo Creative is a Tokyo-based, influencer-driven media company that’s dedicated to creating high-quality Japan-related content. Tokyo Creative represents some of Japan’s top English speaking influencers who, together, have amassed over 13 million subscribers and over 1 billion views on Youtube. It focuses mainly on influencer marketing, but it also offers other services.
Its services include media production, market research, SNS marketing, website development, and influencer promotions. Its most common clients are government agencies, cities, and tourism spots since it specializes in inviting the audience to visit certain places in and out of Japan.
So, if your business focuses on tourism and other related activities, then Tokyo Creative is the perfect match for you.
You can reach their website at
https://www.tokyocreative.jp/en
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Real CRO
Real CRO is a branding & multilingual creative marketing agency in Japan providing both domestic and international clients with professional intercultural communication services. CRO can mean two things for this agency: “Conversion Rate Optimization” or “Create Reciprocal Opportunities”. Its approach in marketing is being solution-centric and data-driven.
For digital marketing, it offers e-commerce site creation, SEO, influencer marketing, UX/UI, content marketing, and web development. This agency has already been trusted by big brands such as American Express, Sony, Givenchy, Valmont, and Shichiken.
You can reach their website at
https://www.realcro.com/
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Wasabi Creation
Wasabi Creation swears to give their clients the latest insights about expanding their business, acquiring investment and entering the Japanese market. It offers varying services including business consulting, market research, event marketing, and influencer marketing.
It has already launched social media and influencer marketing campaigns in Japan for big and small companies alike. Its clients include the West Japan Railway, iHerb, Tabirai, and HonestBee.
You can reach their website at
https://www.wasabicreation.com/
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Quaras
Quaras’s motto is to solve their clients’ problems through out-of-the-box thinking. It believes that creativity generates conversions and gives customers satisfaction. They offer anything under the sun, including TV commercial productions, online video production, and even merchandising and operational support for on-site facilities.
One of its best campaigns is the Fujiya Smile Switch campaign where Quaras collaborated with different male celebrities and models so the audience can visualize the various flavors of Fujiya’s chocolate products. This made the term “Fujiya” rank 1st in the Yahoo! searches.
You can reach their website at
https://quaras.co.jp/
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Nikkeisha
Nikkeisha aims to connect people, things, and companies through the use of fresh ideas. Its services include branding, media planning, digital marketing, research, event promotion, data analysis, creative productions, and global solutions.
Nikkeisha also offers digital services including internet advertising, website production, social media promotions, and CRM.
You can reach their website at
https://www.nks.co.jp/
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Zo Digital
Last but not the least, we have Zo Digital coming in Top 17 of the best social media and influencer marketing agencies in Japan. “Zo” in Japanese means “elephant”, but it can also mean “creation”. The founders of Zo believe that they can be the go-to agency of new businesses entering Japan who want to promote their products to the locals.
Zo offers almost everything digital–from pay-per-clicks and SEO, to social media growth. One of its strengths is its focus on online behavior analytics and how this can help a business in its next steps.
You can reach their website at
https://www.zodigital.jp/
Conclusion
Social media and influencer marketing have undoubtedly changed the way businesses advertise and market their products today. Back then, hard-selling strategies were a hit. Today, people value authenticity more – they often listen to the opinions of influencers rather than A-list celebrities. These influencers are more reflective of the ordinary people’s daily lives. The Japanese are no exception.
Although entering the Japanese market may seem intimidating at first, a business can easily gain the locals’ trust by collaborating with influencers and key opinion leaders. Thus, finding a local social media and influencer marketing agency can best lead to results.
We hope that this article helped you in finding the best influencer marketing agency that fits your brand’s values.
Although entering the Japanese market may seem intimidating at first, a business can easily gain the locals’ trust by collaborating with influencers and key opinion leaders. Thus, finding a local social media and influencer marketing agency can best lead to results.
We hope that this article helped you in finding the best influencer marketing agency that fits your brand’s values.
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