Japan – Rakuten Ichiba, Japan’s largest online marketplace, has opened its doors to merchants from six new countries, expanding its global reach to new global markets adding Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, and New Zealand.
They join China, North America, Australia, the UK, Germany, and Denmark, bringing the total to 22 markets.
Takafumi Kanatani, vice general manager of Rakuten Ichiba’s overseas sales strategy department, who is leading the push, said, “Rakuten Ichiba is committed to building a borderless marketplace that benefits both merchants and consumers.”
The platform commands 27% of Japan’s online shopping market, logging nearly 6 trillion yen in domestic gross merchandise sales in 2024.
More than 1,000 foreign merchants are already selling to Japanese consumers, many reporting double-digit growth. Beyond the balance sheet, the expansion is about access.
Sellers in new markets can ship directly to Japanese customers without setting up a local entity—a major hurdle cleared.
South Korea’s Medicube, which launched on Rakuten in 2019, cited the platform’s reach and credibility.
“Rakuten has a higher proportion of beauty customers in their 30s to 50s,” said Nanako Hirono from APR Corporation, Medicube’s Japan marketing team. “That allowed us to reach segments that were previously difficult to access.”
China-based portable power brand EcoFlow pointed to Rakuten’s local logistics and brand presence as crucial. “Working with the Rakuten team strengthened trust with Japanese consumers and supported our expansion,” the company said.
American audio brand JBL also sees the platform as more than a sales channel. “Rakuten Ichiba allows customers to engage with our brand philosophy, not just our products,” said Tsutomu Tano, head of e-commerce at JBL.
Rakuten Ichiba provides bilingual support, AI-driven store tools, and Japan’s Rakuten Points loyalty programme to help international merchants launch and manage storefronts.
Brands can maintain control over their stores while using Rakuten’s marketing and analytics tools. The platform also enforces strict anti-counterfeit measures.
