“The Most Sensitive Issue” in Japan? Respect

As part of LBB’s ‘Inside Asia’ series, Sunna Coleman speaks with VML & Ogilvy Japan’s Rui Nago, Mr+Positive’s Peter Grasse, Dentsu Inc’s Ayu Sasaki,Publicis Groupe Japan’s Naho Manabe and McCann Japan’s Charlotte Auyeung about what outsiders really need to know in order to better understand the Japanese advertising landscape.

Part one explored the country’s celebrity influence and nuanced creative, while part two examined the importance of seasonality and how TV still carries enormous weight.

In this last part, we look at some of the biggest taboos and how brands can navigate with respect when connecting with a Japanese audience.


When it comes to the pitfalls that brands should look out for in Japanese advertising, chief strategy officer at VML & Ogilvy Japan, Rui Nago reveals the biggest taboo is leaning on outdated stereotypes or lazy symbolism. “For instance, portraying only women as responsible for housework or childcare isn’t just old-fashioned – it sparks instant backlash, and several brands have already learned that the hard way.

“Likewise, casting ‘Kawaii girls’ or Harajuku/Shibuya pop-culture tropes as shorthand for gen z is misleading. From the outside, those images might seem iconic of Japan, but young people themselves see them as reductive. If they feel their lived reality is being dismissed, brands lose relevance fast. At its core, the most sensitive issue in Japan is whether a brand is respecting the diversity of real lives.”

“Respect is critical,” says Mr+Positive founder and EP, Peter Grasse. “Campaigns that dismiss or belittle cultural traditions – like one hotel chain’s attempt to compare ryokans unfavourably to their luxury hotels – are met with backlash. Similarly, glamorising yakuza culture or tattoos is seen as tone-deaf and inauthentic. Brands must tread carefully and approach Japanese culture with humility and sensitivity.”

From a cultural perspective, “there’s heightened sensitivity around the use of Japanese motifs – such as anime, sushi, or sumo – especially when it risks cultural appropriation or feels inauthentic,” adds Dentsu Inc’s ECD, Ayu Sasaki. “Above all, advertising that could hurt or offend anyone, even a competitor, is considered taboo.”

“Given our conservative national character, coupled with the proliferation of social media, both clients and agencies must exercise caution against consumer complaints when creating advertisements,” says Naho Manabe, group creative director at Publicis Groupe Japan. “This can feel a little stifling with incidents occurring almost monthly, such as global brands facing backlash for rolling out concepts that fail to fully grasp subtle differences between global and domestic perceptions of historic events, diversity, and culturally specific customs.”

“Japanese consumers are generally indifferent to political and religious topics,” Charlotte Auyeung, head of strategy at McCann Japan, explains. “Social issues frequently spotlighted in the West, such as gender equality and mental health, are becoming more relevant but remain delicate, as many Japanese are struggling to reconcile ideals and with the realities of how these issues play out in daily life, making them highly sensitive to address in everyday conversation, let alone in advertising, especially on social media such as X (formerly Twitter), which remains a dominant platform in Japan where controversial topics can quickly backfire with negative reactions escalating rapidly.”

On this, she notes the Japanese believe the government to be responsible for improving the wellbeing of society, while brands are responsible for supporting and bettering their everyday lives on a personal level.

There are also differences between the West and Japan when it comes to storytelling, Ayu says there’s a “notable cultural difference in what audiences find relatable.” For example, she says Western markets often celebrate clear, strong heroes – ”characters who are confident, decisive, and larger-than-life.”

In contrast, “Japanese audiences are often drawn to more multi-dimensional personalities – characters who show both strengths and weaknesses, and whose vulnerability makes them feel real. Humility, complexity, and emotional depth are valued, and these qualities can make a brand’s story feel more authentic.”

And while Japan values harmony, Rui points out that brands should not shy away from challenging social norms. “In fact, when the provocation is rooted in sincerity and empathy, it can win powerful support,” he says. “We’ve seen successful campaigns take on everything from rigid hairstyle rules in schools and job-hunting, to the outdated practice of ‘obligation chocolate’ on Valentine’s Day, even to themes as weighty as war.”

“I believe tackling social issues is crucial to our industry having a positive impact on society and the world around us,” Naho adds. “But simply adapting a global brand concept linguistically for Japan's large market fails to resonate. It is essential to communicate within a context that captures Japan's unique local culture and local insights.”

Charlotte says Japanese advertising tends to be misunderstood by international creatives as less provocative, but “the focus should perhaps be redirected to the different emotions that the Japanese want to be provoked. As a culture that values ‘kokoro-dzukai’ – literally ‘considerations of others’ hearts’ – brands can foster a deep emotional connection by being more empathetic and reassuring than disruptive and challenging. This continues to hold truth in today’s Japan where many are financially pessimistic, mentally exhausted and emotionally lonely.”

She cites KitKat as a brand that has skilfully cracked this in the Japanese market. “Apart from encouraging people to ‘take a break’, it has become symbolic of a ‘good luck charm’ that encourages and affirms the hardworking yet anxious students before exams – a cornerstone in Japan where academic background is a status symbol and could be career defining, making it an extremely competitive and stressful situation to navigate.”

The key, Rui reveals, is “reframing provocation: not as hostility, but as an invitation to empathise and reflect. Japanese consumers recognise and respect brands that show that kind of courage.”


​Read more from this series here.