Entertainment · Music · 4 hrs ago
Japan’s Music Market Shows Strong Growth and Export Potential
At a Tokyo music-industry conference, Luminate CEO Rob Jonas presented an overseas perspective on Japan’s music market.
On-demand streams in Japan topped 106 billion in the first half of 2026, up 9.5% from a year earlier.
Japanese artists accounted for 75.2% of domestic streaming, while the share was 72.8% in the first half of 2024.
Jonas said growth opportunities are strongest outside Japan, where J-pop streams rose in the United States, Mexico and Brazil.
He also described how anime and video games can help listeners discover music, including a case where a Japanese band’s song stayed popular as a series gained viewers in the United States.
The conference also covered plans to add metadata to Luminate’s analytics platform, so users can track music consumption and metadata together.
A Japanese government official discussed support and challenges for increasing overseas revenue for Japanese content, drawing on the country’s 2026 creative industries strategy.
Japan’s on-demand music streams exceeded 106 billion in the first half of 2026, rising 9.5% year over year.
Luminate CEO Rob Jonas said the growth outpaced the global market and the U.K.
Japanese artists accounted for 75.2% of domestic streaming, up from 72.8% in the first half of 2024.
Japan rose to 12th in the world in the Export Power ranking, while J-pop streams grew in the U.S., Mexico and Brazil.
Billboard Japan and Luminate discussed market data, metadata and ways to increase overseas revenue at a Tokyo conference on Oct. 2.
- Who
- Billboard Japan and Luminate held the conference, with Luminate CEO Rob Jonas and ministry director Naohiro Kaji among the speakers.
- What
- The conference examined the Japanese music market, data and metadata, and opportunities to grow overseas revenue.
- When
- Oct. 2; the year is not stated for the conference.
- Where
- Billboard Live Tokyo, Japan.
- Why
- To discuss the Japanese music market and ways to maximize overseas revenue for Japanese content.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Japan’s Entertainment and Creative Industries Strategy 2026 was released.
Japan’s on-demand streams exceeded 106 billion, up 9.5% year over year.
Billboard Japan and Luminate held NOW PLAYING JAPAN Vol. 6 at Billboard Live Tokyo.
Billboard published its recap of the conference.
- Japan on-demand streams
- More than 106 billion in the first half of 2026
- Year-over-year streaming growth
- 9.5%
- Share of domestic streaming going to Japanese artists
- 75.2%
- Japan’s Export Power ranking
- 12th in the world
- U.S. J-pop stream growth
- 105.5 million
- Mexican J-pop stream growth
- 53.3 million
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Our role is not to judge AI music. Our role is to measure it accurately, so that labels, publishers, platforms and charts can make their own decisions based on facts.