New forms of subscription services have expanded beyond the realm of entertainment in Japan, branching into industries such as gaming, hotels and cars amid a shift in consumer attitudes.
The business model, in which subscribers pay a monthly or yearly fee for access to services, has spread throughout Japan, initially in the form of video and music streaming services.
In 2019, the word sabusuku, a Japanese shorthand for subscription, was nominated as a buzzword of the year.
“The idea of shifting from ownership to access has become widespread,” Naoko Kuga of NLI Research Institute said, explaining one reason for their popularity.
With consumers adopting a more conservative view of spending amid inflation, subscription services are viewed as “rational and smart consumption,” Kuga said.
The COVID-19 pandemic spurred moves in Japan to take various operations online, including remote work and food deliveries, and a rise in stay-at-home demand. In terms of entertainment, subscriptions for mainly video streaming services have taken hold in people’s daily lives.
The global streaming market is dominated by players such as Netflix and Spotify.
In its New Cool Japan Strategy released in 2024, the Japanese government said that video and music distribution platforms are “heavily dependent on major overseas operators.” It is therefore difficult for businesses trying to spread Japanese content to “strategically cultivate overseas demand based on their own judgment.”
The government noted that there is a need for such businesses to either create their own content distribution channels or secure existing channels mainly through investments.
To boost exports, the focus now is to secure distribution channels both in and outside the country.
Long-time content providers U-Next and Sony Group are among the major Japanese streaming service providers.
Aside from its music streaming services, Sony Group also offers gaming subscription services for its PlayStation consoles, providing subscribers with limited-edition content and other perks.
Tokyu has attracted attention for its hotel subscription service, which allows people to choose accommodation plans based on their lifestyle and needs. The service also helps revitalize surrounding areas, improves employee benefits and reduces business travel costs.
Kinto, a car leasing affiliate of Toyota, offers a car subscription service. Business has been booming, with the company posting a net profit of ¥795 million ($5.08 million) in the fiscal year that ended March 2025, its first-ever black ink year.
Subscriptions provided by individuals offering their knowledge and experiences have also become popular.
Blog platform provider Note’s membership function enables members of the general public to easily start their own business as subscription content creators.
The number of content creators earning income from their subscriptions as of October last year has doubled from a year earlier, highlighting a rise in moves among…