Affiliate Marketing in Japan: The Ultimate Guide For Success

Have you ever bought a product because your favorite online person recommended it? And you purchased said item with their link or promo code?

That’s affiliate marketing!

With consumer skepticism increasing, it’s no wonder that affiliate marketing is growing in every country.

See how your foreign brand can use and benefit from affiliate marketing in Japan with this ultimate guide.

What is affiliate marketing in Japan?

Affiliate marketing is when businesses collaborate with individuals, such as influencers, to promote their products or services. This marketing operates based on sales where the affiliate will earn a small amount for every sale, lead, or click to the advertiser’s platform.

This approach allows brands to build trust with Japanese consumers and expand their local marketing.

It is most beneficial to foreign brands to connect with new audiences in Japan.

Advertisers

They are companies, businesses, or brands that have a product or service to sell. If they have the resources, they can create affiliate programs to attract people who can help them reach a larger audience in Japan.

Other times, businesses and brands will collaborate with those with an online presence.

Affiliates

Bloggers, influencers, website owners, or anyone with an online presence can be an affiliate. These people are recruited or join an affiliate program relevant to their content and audience.

Once part of the program, they will have an affiliate link from advertisers to promote the product or service. Their link will take them to a Japanese or English page, depending on your target audience.

Promotions and marketing

Affiliates will promote the advertiser's products or services through their marketing channels, such as:

• Website Content: articles, reviews, or blog posts are published that relate to the products or services with embedded affiliate links.

• Social media: sharing affiliate links and promoting products on social media platforms.

• Email marketing: sending a marketing email to their subscriber's list with affiliate links to your business.

• Content creation: such as making videos, YouTube shorts, or TikTok, or creating tutorials with affiliate links in the video description.

Additionally, coupons and promotional deals are shared with their audiences. 

Commission

An affiliate will earn a commission for every successful conversation. These commissions will vary depending on the advertiser’s terms. So they might receive a percentage for every sale or a fixed amount.

How does affiliate marketing work in Japan?

Similar to other countries, here’s how affiliate marketing works in Japan:

Step 1: Create an affiliate program

Businesses with enough resources can create an affiliate program for individuals or entities with an online presence to join. Through a program, affiliates can promote your product or service to their niche or target audience.

Step 2: Affiliate promotion

Affiliate marketers will receive a unique affiliate link or ID, which is tracked to see their promotional efforts through successful clicks or purchases.

The affiliate will promote the advertiser’s product through their online marketing methods.

Step 3: Track your analytics

There are tracking mechanisms with affiliate actions via cookies, unique affiliate IDs, or offer codes.

So when users click on an affiliate’s link or input their offer code, that purchase is tracked and recorded.

Step 4: Commissions and payments

For every tracked action, the affiliate will earn a commission, which will vary based on the affiliate program.

Usually, the commission earnings will be a percentage of the sale or a fixed fee regularly.

Step 5: Ongoing partnership

Any successful affiliate partnerships will lead to ongoing collaboration. Advertisers and affiliates will achieve mutual goals in the long term.

Benefits of joining Japanese affiliate programs

Foreign brands will see the most benefits when joining a Japanese affiliate program. It will help them grow their presence in the Japanese market with more benefits in the long run.

1. Build trust more easily

Building trust is one of the major hurdles to overcome when marketing to Japanese consumers.

There is an expectation that your product and service will be at the highest standard. Thus, many Japanese consumers are highly risk-advised and will buy from retailers they know.

So, working with affiliates will help increase your brand awareness. The affiliates, who have worked hard to build their brand and trust with their audience, can promote your product. If the influence trusts your brands, then their audience can too.

2. Expand your presence

Many foreign brands will struggle to enter the Japanese market due to various reasons, such as the language barrier.

Affiliate marketing helps expand your brand presence more than without one.

Without necessarily hiring new employees, you will have individuals or affiliates who will promote your business’s products or services. Through their endorsement, your brand will be in the Japanese market.

Also, it is recommended to have an address in Japan to show you can be locally found.

3. Target your audience

Many affiliates built up their own branding with a dedicated audience. If your brand matches with theirs in terms of industry or sector, there is a greater chance of picking up potential customers with high lifetime value.

By working with affiliates in Japan, you can start long-term relationships with new audiences as part of your customer base.

Top 3 affiliate programs in Japan

There are more international affiliate programs, such as Amazon or Rakuten, but there are three affiliate programs in Japan.

To be part of any of these programs, you can apply on their sites.

1. Kokoro Japan

Their affiliate program is for individuals interested in promoting high-quality Japanese-related things, such as beauty, health, and food & drinks. They aim to recreate the same shopping experience that you would have in Japan.

One of the biggest highlights is their global reach and strong emphasis on customer satisfaction.

If you become an affiliate, you will have:

• 20% Sales Commission

• 60 Days Referral Window

• Up-to-date items:

• Monthly Payouts

• Dedicated Support: they will provide you with a dedicated affiliate team and manager to assist affiliates in their marketing endeavors.

2. NatureLab Tokyo

NatureLab Tokyo specializes in high-quality haircare products ranging from hair treatments to scrubs, shampoos, and conditioners for various hair types.

Being part of their affiliate program will include:

• 20% Sales Commission

• 30 Days Referral Time

• Marketing Materials

• Dedicated Support Team

• Performance Dashboard

3. Japan Candy Box

Japan Candy Box is a subscription-based service that delivers unique and delicious Japanese candies and sweets to customers worldwide. Their products range from KitKat, Meiji, Calbee, Collon, and more.

Their affiliate program has many benefits, such as:

• $5 Sales Commission

• Promotional materials

• Tracking dashboard

• Monthly payouts

• Dedicated support team

In closing

Affiliate marketing in Japan is a great way to reach your potential Japanese audience. It is cost-effective and scalable where both the business brand and the affiliate mutually benefit from this collaboration.