Unlock the potential of TikTok in Japan—high engagement, untapped opportunities, and key considerations for your brand.
TikTok has undeniably become a global phenomenon, and Japan is no exception. But despite its massive user base, TikTok remains underutilized by Japanese businesses for customer acquisition.
The platform dominates user attention, with an average 95 minutes per day spent on TikTok—nearly double that of Instagram, but its advertising platform has yet to secure a strong foothold in Japanese marketing strategies.
So how big is TikTok in Japan, and is it worth the investment? Let’s dive in.
As of early 2024, TikTok had 26.05 million users aged 18+ (24.7% of the adult population), while Instagram had 55.45 million users.
One of TikTok’s key differentiators is its algorithm, which allows any video, regardless of follower count, to gain significant exposure. While this can be a strength, it also poses challenges for marketers trying to build sustainable reach and engagement.
TikTok’s algorithm-driven content enables viral reach, yet Instagram remains the dominant platform for influencer marketing. In 2023, brands spent 15 billion yen on TikTok influencers, compared to 44 billion yen on Instagram—a nearly threefold difference.
While TikTok initially gained traction among teenagers, its average user age in Japan has now risen to around 34, significantly older than the global average. The 30–50 age group is growing, making the platform increasingly viable for brands beyond Gen Z.
Despite high engagement and return rates, TikTok still struggles to gain the trust of many Japanese advertisers. Compared to Instagram and YouTube Shorts, brands remain hesitant to allocate large budgets due to concerns over brand image, ad performance tracking, and limited insights into consumer purchasing behavior.
TikTok’s CPM is lower than Meta’s as of the writing time of this, but it hasn’t yet reached the same level of reliability for customer acquisition. Meta remains Japan’s strongest performance marketing platform for younger audiences acquisition.
That said, influencer-driven campaigns, trend-based ads, and precise targeting have delivered strong results for brands willing to experiment.
TikTok is actively expanding its e-commerce integrations in Japan, including live shopping and in-app store functions. It is also enhancing its machine learning capabilities with the launch of Smart+ campaigns (SPC), an AI-powered campaign option similar to Meta’s Advantage+.
If TikTok successfully merges entertainment with seamless purchasing, it could become a more significant player not only in Japan’s digital marketing acquisition channels but also in the search landscape.
Some marketers believe TikTok could become a major player in search advertising. With the launch of TikTok Search Ads, some speculate that Google’s next real competitor might not be another search engine—but a social media platform.
With this new feature, TikTok has the potential to be a strong acquisition tool across the funnel. While it excels at upper-funnel engagement, its search ads could also capture high-intent users, merging brand awareness and conversion strategies into a single platform.
The U.S. ban on TikTok has raised concerns about the platform’s long-term stability, with some users already migrating to Chinese alternatives like RedNote (Xiaohongshu).
The fact that users chose a TikTok-like alternative such as RedNote over Instagram or YouTube Shorts reinforces the idea that TikTok’s format holds a distinct and irreplaceable position in the market.
At Next Level, we design social media strategies that lower your CPA in Japan.
We optimize TikTok Ads & influencer collaborations while also managing and improving traditional acquisition channels to maximize ROI.
TikTok is a valuable tool for reaching younger audiences in Japan and building brand awareness, but it has yet to match Meta in performance marketing.
While TikTok has grown rapidly, it still lacks the scale and efficiency of Meta, making it less of a priority for advertisers focused on direct response.
However, advertisers should view TikTok as a complementary channel rather than a core acquisition platform. For brands open to experimentation, platforms like TikTok and Pinterest in Japan can yield unexpected results in terms of CPA. Testing these channels at a lower cost may uncover new growth opportunities—so let’s explore them together.
Let us know how we could be of service to you and one of our experts will get back to you, usually within two business days.
