Branding That Evolves: The Pokémon Playbook

Gotta Catch 'Em All When I was a kid, I traded my way into a blue holographic Charizard. I have no memory of what I gave up for it, but I remember exactly how it felt to hold it. Here is the part that still makes me laugh. To this day, I do…

The Kyoto You’re Looking For Was Never Real

What "tourist trap" really means, and why it's a PR problem.   A tourist trap is a place people believe other tourists ruined. So why does everyone visiting Japan go to the same ten places?   Japan welcomed a record 42.7…

1 in 20 Resignations in Japan Now Goes Through a Middleman. It’s Exposing Which Employers Are Toxic

Resignation agencies are trending. According to a 2025 study by the Persol Research Institute, 5.1% of people who left a job in Japan, one in twenty, did not tell their boss “I Quit.” They paid a company to do it for them. A resignation…

Strong Japan: The Takaichi Persona

In early 2026, the victory of Sanae Takaichi in the lower house snap election marked more than just a political win. It signaled a renewed vigor in the brand of Japan’s national government. The Persona of Strength What distinguishes Takaichi…

PR in Japan: What Foreign Brands Get Wrong

After 8 years running a PR firm in Japan, I’ve seen the same pattern repeat itself across industries. Here's why global playbooks consistently fail, and what actually works. Let me be direct: most foreign brands that struggle in Japan aren't…

Digital Marketing in Japan: 5 Social Platforms That Matter

Same Platforms, Different Worlds Social media in Japan looks familiar. Same apps. Same icons. Same endless scrolling. Why don’t Japanese users react to a localized marketing strategy? User behavior, expectations, and even where people scroll…

Digital Marketing in Japan: Search, Skepticism, and Trust

Search in Japan is not just about clicks. It determines legitimacy. For many Japanese users, search is where they confirm whether a company is legit. The top results define opinions that either build or destroy trust. Japanese users research…
Parthenon Japan

Digital Marketing in Japan: 5 Key Points

Most marketing spend in the Japanese market delivers disappointing returns.   Budget is not the issue. The problem is structure.   Multinational companies are especially exposed.   This article explains why. It…

Can Kishida Make A Comeback?

On June 23, the 213th ordinary session of the Diet came to a close, but Prime Minister Kishida is far from catching a break. His cabinet is facing significant challenges on multiple fronts, including accusations of inadequate revisions to the…