Leading free video streaming and video sharing services Japan 2023
According to an online survey conducted in May 2023, more than 95 percent of Japanese respondents who often watch free video streaming or video sharing services used YouTube. YouTube was by far the most popular service in this category. It was followed by TVer and Twitter.
Japan’s YouTube consumption
YouTube dominates Japan's video streaming market, with an overwhelming majority of people across all age groups using the service. The platform serves as a pivotal hub for influencer marketing and online content consumption. Offering a wide array of content spanning from educational videos to entertainment and vlogs, YouTube caters to diverse interests, firmly establishing itself as a cornerstone of daily digital consumption. In 2024, Japan ranked second globally in generating YouTube in-app purchase revenues, which encompass sales of channel merchandise, memberships, and highlighted comments.
Video streaming market development
The video streaming sector in Japan has shown robust growth in recent years and the market has become fiercely competitive due to a high number of platforms. While free streaming services have been a part of video streaming landscape since the mid-2000s, subscription-based platforms initially lagged behind their Western counterparts. Significant shifts occurred with the entry of international players like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in 2015, followed by DAZN in 2016 and Disney in 2019. Survey data highlights Amazon Prime Video as the preferred choice among paid video streaming users, while Netflix leads in subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market share based on user fees.
