Japan E-Commerce Association

Introduction: Japan’s Unique Evolution That Global Players Often Miss In 2025, retail media accelerated globally. Industry attention has focused on major platforms and measurement stacks such as Amazon Marketing Cloud , Walmart Luminate (renamed “Scintilla”) , and Kroger’s 84.51° . Yet many overseas manufacturers still underestimate what is happening in Japan. The reason is structural: global data strategies often assume a distributed ecosystem—multiple retailers, multiple pl

Introduction: Payments Are No Longer “Processing” — They Are Experience Many global companies still regard payments as the final technical step in the purchase process. Customers select a product, add it to the cart, and complete payment—the last step is often treated as a simple system transaction. In Japan, this perception is already outdated. Payments are no longer merely the final step of checkout; they have become one of the most decisive factors shaping the overall purc

Introduction: The Real Shift Is Not the Disappearance of CookiesFor several years, the planned deprecation of third-party cookies in Google Chrome drew intense attention. In July 2024, Google revised its position and announced it would maintain third-party cookie availability under a new user choice framework. As a result, the immediate issue is no longer a sudden, universal disappearance of cookies. However, the real transformation affecting digital marketing is happening el

New Opportunities in the Era of Adaptive Commerce Japan’s e-commerce market is one of the world’s largest, yet it has evolved in uniquely “Japanese” ways—shaped by consumer expectations for careful explanation, trust-building, and rigorous comparison. As “adaptive commerce” accelerates toward 2026, these characteristics will no longer be a barrier for overseas brands. Instead, they become a powerful advantage—because AI can now deliver the right information, in the right orde

Introduction: The New Reality Behind Japan’s ¥8.1 Trillion Inbound Spend in 2024 In 2024, inbound visitor spending in Japan reached ¥8.1 trillion , setting a new record. This is a market of national-scale significance. At the same time, the number of foreign residents in Japan has risen to around 2.67 million , and annual consumption by this group is estimated at roughly ¥5 trillion . Together, inbound visitor spending and foreign-resident consumption form an approximately ¥1

Introduction: Moving Beyond “Strict Regulation = Market Barrier” When overseas pharmaceutical companies consider entering the Japanese market, many assume that Japan has one of the world’s most stringent regulatory environments for pharmaceuticals. This perception is largely accurate. However, what is often overlooked is that regulatory rigor itself can become a source of trust, quality assurance, and long-term competitive advantage . Japan’s regulatory framework does not mer

ABC Fanlife: A Successful Model for Integrating TV Shopping and E-Commerce to Expand Customer Bases and Improve Operational Efficiency 1. Business Background of ABC Fanlife and Challenges in the TV Shopping Model 1.1 Corporate Overview and Market Context ABC Fanlife, part of the Asahi Broadcasting Group, operates a commerce business centered on television shopping programs such as Senobura Honpo  and Rakuraku Manten Seikatsu . The company manages everything from TV program pr

BS Nippon Corporation: A Leading Case of TV Commerce × E-Commerce Integration Achieving 90% Reduction in Operational Workload 1. Business Background and Initial Challenges 1.1 About BS Nippon and Its EC Operations BS Nippon Corporation operates TV broadcasting as its core business while also running the in-house television shopping program “BS Nippon SHOP.” Initially, the company focused on anime-related merchandise and character goods, but in recent years it has expanded its

TORAJI: Building an Integrated “TORAJI Economic Zone” Through EC–Store–App OMO Transformation 1. What Is the “TORAJI Economic Zone”? TORAJI is a well-known yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) brand operating more than 70 restaurants nationwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company rapidly expanded its e-commerce operations in response to rising demand for contactless dining and premium at-home meals. TORAJI then advanced a bold initiative: building the “TORAJI Economic Zone,” an int

ZOZOTOWN’s “ZOZOSUIT” and “ZOZOMAT”: How Body Measurement Technology Transformed Size Recommendations in Fashion E-Commerce 1. Structural Challenges in the Fashion E-Commerce Industry 1.1 The Industry-Wide Problem of High Return Rates One of the biggest challenges in fashion e-commerce is the consistently high return rate .Industry data often cites an average return rate of around 30% , driven by: Size mismatches Differences between product images and the actual item The comm