The inaugural OOH Tokyo Conference, organized by Japan’s Out of Home (OOH) industry in partnership with the World Out of Home Organisation (WOO), convened over 450 delegates at Tokyo Midtown Hall. The event marked WOO’s first engagement in Japan in its six-decade history, spotlighting opportunities and challenges for the sector.
Japan’s OOH Performance and Post-Pandemic Challenges
WOO President Tom Goddard acknowledged Japan’s outsized contribution to global OOH revenues, generating 6% of the total despite representing just 1.5% of the world’s population. However, he noted the industry has yet to recover to pre-pandemic 2020 levels, with its share of Japan’s total advertising expenditure (ADEX) declining by 1.7% since then.
“What has caused this?” Goddard asked. “To me, it’s down to two primary issues: market fragmentation and poor collaboration.” He emphasized that while local competition is fierce, the sector must unite to capture a larger share of advertisers’ budgets. Currently, only 6% of Japanese media budgets are allocated to OOH, leaving 94% to other channels.
“You are both competitors and allies,” Goddard stated. “A 1% increase in sector growth contributes five times more to your bottom line than local growth. Collaboration under a unified trade association is critical to drive this shift.”
Strategies for Growth and Recovery
Goddard outlined actionable measures to revitalize Japan’s OOH sector:
- Accelerate digitization of inventory, noting Japan operates at half the global average.
- Align AdTech and data strategies industry-wide.
- Develop a sustainability roadmap to meet environmental goals.
- Leverage retail partnerships and AI-driven opportunities.
- Strengthen OOH’s role in providing civic amenities through municipal collaborations.
- Promote cost-effectiveness compared to other media.
- Support creative innovation to maintain audience engagement.
While acknowledging “formidable challenges,” Goddard expressed confidence in Japan’s capacity for recovery, citing strong leadership and untapped potential. “The opportunities are considerable and achievable,” he concluded.
About the World Out of Home Organisation (WOO)
WOO is the sole global OOH trade association, advocating for the industry across research, legislation, and cross-sector collaboration. Its board includes major international firms such as JCDecaux, Clear Channel, OUTFRONT Media, and Lamar, alongside regional leaders like Asiaray (Hong Kong) and oOh!media (Australia). WOO collaborates with regional associations, including the OAAA (US), Alooh (Latin America), and IOAA (India), and is a founding member of ICAS.
For more details on WOO, visit: www.worldooh.org.
