Online Ads Top 50 Pct of Annual Ad Spending in Japan for 1st Time

Tokyo, March 5 (Jiji Press)--Total spending on advertisements in Japan in 2025 marked a record high for the fourth straight year, with the share of online ads topping 50 pct for the first time, a survey by major advertising agency Dentsu Inc. showed Thursday.

Total spending grew 5.1 pct from the previous year to 8,062.3 billion yen, including 4,045.9 billion yen on online ads, up 10.8 pct. Spending grew especially on ads on social media and online videos.

Online ads accounted for 50.2 pct, exceeding 50 pct “sooner than expected,” said a Dentsu official, citing the progress of digitalization prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Spending on TV, newspaper, magazine and radio ads dipped 1.6 pct to 2,298 billion yen, down for the first time in two years. Advertising on newspapers dropped 8.2 pct amid the shift to online ads.

Spending on other ads, including those on billboards, public transportation and flyers, climbed 2.0 pct to 1,718.4 billion yen.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]