TikTok, the popular Chinese social media platform, is gearing up to enter Japan’s online shopping market in the coming months, according to a report by Nikkei on Sunday.
The company plans to recruit sellers soon for its e-commerce arm, TikTok Shop, which will offer a platform for users to sell products ranging from sneakers to beauty items through livestreams, earning commissions on sales, Reuters reported.
This expansion into Japan follows TikTok Shop’s recent moves into Europe, where it launched in France, Germany, and Italy earlier this year, continuing its global push. The decision is part of TikTok’s broader strategy to diversify its business beyond its core social media offering, especially as it faces ongoing regulatory hurdles in the United States.
In the US, TikTok’s future remains uncertain as the company waits for a resolution regarding a law passed in 2024, which requires its China-based parent company, ByteDance, to divest its US operations. US President Donald Trump recently indicated that a deal regarding TikTok’s presence in the US could be delayed, signalling a potential easing of the tariff tensions between the US and China.
Despite the challenges in the US, TikTok’s e-commerce push is gaining momentum. The company has yet to comment on its Japanese expansion plans