Key Insights into Mobile Marketing in Japan

As 2024 is coming to an end, we've compiled global data from Q3 and discovered that the Japanese market has shown remarkable performance.

Are you also considering which country's market to enter for your mobile business in 2025?

For most mobile apps, the Japanese market is a great direction for expansion.

If you have any doubts about this, feel free to read the related blog to find expansion directions for your app.👉 How to Discover New Market Opportunities With "Global Overview-Competitor"

If you want to enter Japan, this thriving country, you must truly understand the Japanese app market, as there are significant cultural and user habit differences compared to Western markets.

To help you get started, we've compiled the most important information and data about japanese market, along with some useful tips

According to FoxData-Market Segment, the download volume in the Japanese market for Q3 2024 is 3.8 billion, compared to 3.0 billion in Q3 2023.

This indicates a clear growth trend in user acquisition in the Japanese market, which is a positive signal for app publishers.

Accorrdung to FoxData-Market Segment，Japanese app users spend a lot of money on in-app purchases. 

Despite not being a major market in terms of the number of users, Japan consistently ranks among the top markets for global consumer spending.

In the third quarter of 2024, the Japanese app market achieved $4.75 billion in consumer spending.

This places it right behind the significantly larger markets of the US and China.


According to the Downloads/Revenue Charts, the majority of this revenue comes from mobile games.

In Q3 2024, the total revenue was $4.75 billion, with user spending on games reaching as high as $3.0 billion, accounting for 79% of the total.

👉 Click here to view the game and app revenue in the Japanese market.

In the App Store, 6 out of the top 10 highest-grossing apps in Q3 2024 were mobile games.

In Google Play, 8 out of the top 10 highest-grossing apps were mobile games.

Japanese iOS and Android users are both highly valuable, making it important to diversify marketing investments across both platforms.

According to Market Segment-Platform data, in Q3 2024, Android users accounted for 63.11% of downloads in Japan, significantly higher than iOS users.

However, iOS users demonstrated a much higher willingness to spend, with actual spending reaching 68.08%, far exceeding that of Android users.

To achieve success in mobile advertising in Japan, it's crucial to localize your content. Most people in Japan do not understand English well, with studies indicating that only 20-30% of the population speaks any level of English.

Therefore, translating your app and its marketing materials into Japanese is essential. This includes translating in-app text, app store descriptions, and mobile ad creatives.

Be cautious if you plan to use tools like Google Translate for this task. Japanese is a complex language with many nuances that automated translation tools might overlook.

The language features four writing systems: hiragana, katakana, kanji, and romaji (Latin script), each serving different purposes. For instance, hiragana is used for native Japanese words, while katakana is used for loanwords from other languages.

Using the language incorrectly can lead to confusion or worse.

Therefore, it is extremely important to have a free "Keywords Auto-Translation" Tool or native Japanese speakers review your translations to ensure accuracy and cultural appropriateness.

💡 Read More: How to Easily Localize Mobile App with Keywords Auto-Translation

Transcending the language barrier is merely the initial phase in adapting your app for Japanese users.

Equally crucial is tailoring its visual style to meet local preferences.

Accorrding to Meta Ads Creative in Japan, we found that Japanese users tend to favor a busier design style compared to the clean and minimalistic aesthetics often preferred by Western audiences.





They appreciate vibrant visuals and detailed information, so incorporating more colors and text is advisable.

Imagery that clearly communicates details about perks, dates, and offers resonates well with Japanese users.

When crafting visuals for the Japanese market, consider the cultural affinity for "kawaii," or the "culture of cuteness."

This artistic style emphasizes cuteness through bright colors and playful, childlike elements.

👉 Click here to acquire the meta ads creative in Japan.

Leverage Seasonal Marketing

In the same way that Americans anticipate Thanksgiving and Halloween, the Japanese have their own seasonal marketing traditions.

By tapping into these cultural nuances, you can effectively engage Japanese consumers.

To demonstrate cultural awareness, incorporate seasonally relevant color palettes, messaging, and imagery into your advertising campaigns.

Understanding the specific expectations for each season is crucial for success.

For instance, spring is associated with Sakura (cherry blossoms), summer with various celebrations, and autumn with visuals such as leaves and fireworks.

Enhance Your ASO 

In Japan, App Store Optimization (ASO) is as crucial as it is globally for mobile advertising success.

Japanese users often depend on app store search bars to find new apps. 

How can you capture their interest?

Merely translating your app store listing won't suffice. Consider these strategies to optimize your app store presence for the Japanese market:

• Optimize Keywords Using "Hiragana": Japanese users predominantly use this script when searching app stores, making it essential to incorporate it into your keyword strategy.

• Use Subtitles for App Descriptions: Japanese users favor text broken into bullet points, highlighting essential information clearly and concisely.

• Localize Visual Assets: Beyond localizing text and ASO keywords, it's crucial to create visuals that appeal specifically to the Japanese audience.

👏 Expert Tips: If you're unsure about how to optimize your ASO for the Japanese market, keeping an eye on your competitors is also a good option.

You can quickly identify your competitors using FoxData-Competitor, and then simply click on 'App Info' to monitor their ASO Report."


FoxData supports monitoring your competitors from the following ten dimensions, helping you optimize your app's ASO.

Tailor Apps to User Preferences

For developers of mobile gaming apps, understanding and adapting to user preferences is crucial, particularly when targeting specific markets like Japan.

Japanese mobile gamers exhibit distinct preferences that set them apart from players in other regions.

A notable example is their favorable view of gacha monetization.

In games featuring gacha mechanics, players engage in lucky draws to receive random rewards. While this system is often seen as controversial or even exploitative in other markets, it is embraced in Japan and considered a cultural norm.


Additionally, Japanese gamers show a strong inclination towards multiplayer experiences and social features. Analyzing the top games in the Japanese market reveals a trend: most of these games emphasize competitive or cooperative gameplay.

To ensure the success of your game in Japan, it is vital to understand these user preferences, actively seek user feedback, and make necessary adjustments.

This approach not only enhances user satisfaction but can also improve your mobile ad campaigns, leading to better Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and higher retention rates.

Want to see more market insights?

Now just join FoxData and embark on a journey of business growth as we unveil a FREE App Data Analytics Tool, which boosts your downloads, increases your user base, and watches your performance soar to new heights!