Inside Japan’s Booming $7 Billion Supplement Market

Published on: April 9, 2025

You’d be forgiven for thinking Japan’s dietary supplement market had peaked. 3rd-biggest in the world. Shelves stacked, customers loyal, everything humming along at a sensible pace. A bit like a reliable Toyota. Efficient? Sure. Exciting? Not really.

And yet it’s growing. Quietly. Steadily. Like moss on a stone.

The big driver? A label added within Japan’s strict regulations: kinōsei hyōji shokuhin (機能性表示食品) label, or “Foods with Function Claims” (FFC). In short, it lets manufacturers make certain health claims on their products as long as there’s solid scientific backing and the government gives it the nod.

The result? Less red tape for manufacturers. More trust for consumers. And together, that’s fuelling growth.

Supplements with this FFC label brought in ¥212.3 billion (US$1.46 billion) in fiscal 2023 (end March 31, 2024). That’s a 30% leap in just 3 years. Zoom out and the full supplement market hit ¥1.06 trillion in FY2023, inching toward ¥1.1 trillion (approx. US$7.57 billion) by FY2025 according to Fuji Keizai.

While most of these sales still happen in physical retail, online channels are playing an increasingly important supporting role. For many global brands, Japanese e-commerce marketplaces like Rakuten offer a way to test the waters and build visibility.

Not bad for a “mature” market everyone assumed had peaked. So, what’s really going on here? Turns out, it’s just getting started. Let’s have a look at why.

Overview:

Who’s Really Buying Supplements in Japan Today?

Short answer? Just about everyone. But not quite how you’d imagine.

In November 2024, Values Inc. — Japan’s biggest online behaviour tracker — ran a monster-sized nationwide survey rounding up 38,685 people. That’s not a focus group, that’s a small town.

So, what did they find?

Turns out that 8.1% of Japanese adults are regular supplement users. Another 60% of healthy adults and 32% of post-secondary students have taken them recently. At first glance, those figures might feel a bit underwhelming. But the devil’s in the demographic detail.

Women are Running the Show

No surprises here: women are dominating the supplement scene in Japan. They’re nearly twice as likely as men to be regular users.

The reasons are very on-brand. Women lean towards beauty and weight loss. Vitamin C, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and isoflavones are flying off the shelves.

Men are chasing performance. Immune support, stress control, a last-ditch effort to keep their hairline from doing a disappearing act. Zinc, GABA, minoxidil are top picks for guys.

But there are a few things everyone agrees on. Vitamin D, E, and probiotics have broadest appeal.

Age Matters (But Not How You Think)

Those in their 20s and under? They’re following social trends like homing pigeons. Instagram and TikTok say take this, so they do, without looking hard at what’s actually inside. They also put the most trust in what they see on social platforms.

But the real bulk of supplement users? People over 30 with millennials topping the usage charts. The 30–50 crowd lean hard on community review sites. If it’s got a 5-star rating from a group of strangers, they’re buying.

And the over-60s? Manufacturer websites, drugstores, and comparison sites are their go-to.

1 Market, 2 Mindsets

Buying behaviour is split clean down the middle.

Women are all about the hive mind. Reviews, socials, group chats. If everyone’s buzzing about it, it’s going in the basket. There’s strength in numbers.

Men? They want the cold, hard facts. They prefer in-store displays, detailed labels, comparison tables, and clinical data.

So yes, it’s a split market. But divided doesn’t mean niche. It means twice the opportunity, if you know how to speak both languages.

5 Types of Supplement Shoppers in Japan (and How to Win Them Over)

Japan’s supplement market isn’t just big. It’s chaotic. A bit like Tokyo rush hour: full of people going in different directions, all with their own reasons.

But underneath the chaos, there’s an order. 5 tribes. 5 distinct mindsets. And 5 golden opportunities if you know how to play your cards right.

1. The Supplement Scholars

These are your textbook overachievers. They don’t take supplements. They research them. Thoroughly.

They’re the biggest chunk of the Japan’s supplement market, and also the pickiest. Obsessed with health, beauty, and science, they’ll only spend their yen if your claims are backed up by serious data. Clinical trials? Great. Peer-reviewed evidence? Even better.

They live for ingredient lists. They love word-of-mouth campaigns, especially the kind with real photos and detailed reviews. But don’t expect loyalty. The moment something more convincing shows up, they’re gone.

2. The Convenience Seekers

This group couldn’t care less about health trends or beauty fads. They’re not here to glow or biohack anything. They just want to stay alive and functioning.

They want simple, fast, and cheap solutions. Grab-and-go gummies. Multivitamins from the corner store. No fuss. No frills. No influencer campaigns required.

Think value packs in drugstores and low-effort branding. If it blends into their daily routine without a hiccup, you’re in.

3. The Habitual Health Nuts

These are the long-haulers. They’re not chasing trends. They’re chasing consistency.

This group skews oldest — average age 51.2 — and they don’t do social media. They don’t scroll. They stroll into the drugstore and make buying decisions based on shelf space, packaging, and whatever the in-store poster’s shouting about.

They’re creatures of habit with high monthly spend and sky-high repeat rates. If loyalty is your endgame, these folks are your jackpot. Focus on eye-level placement, samples, promotions, and simple messaging that meets them where they shop: the pharmacy aisle.

4. The Indifferent Ones

Honestly? They don’t really care. They take supplements like people take those free tissues handed out on the street in Tokyo. “Sure, why not?”

Low effort, low loyalty. They’re not researching anything. They’re responding to impulse buys, bright colours, and anything on sale. They might remember your packaging if it’s eye-catching, but probably not your brand name.

If you’re everywhere and easy to buy, they might just grab your product on a whim.

5. The Natural Beauty Devotees

Smallest group, biggest spenders. Mostly men, average age 39.7. Fit and image-conscious, but all about the natural look. No lab-made miracle pills for them.

No fillers. No artificial ingredients. Just “natural” everything, preferably with minimalist branding and a lifestyle vibe.

They trust Instagram, TikTok, and their own reflection. If your product makes them look good in a mirror selfie, you’ve got a shot. But be warned, they’re picky. You won’t win them with noise. You’ll win them with trust, cool factor, and subtle hype that feels earned, not forced.

Let's Connect.

We help global brands thrive in Asia Pacific.

Book a strategy call

How Western Brands Can Succeed in Japan’s Supplement Market

There’s space for you in Japan’s dietary supplement scene. It’s growing, shifting, and full of thoughtful, curious consumers. But if you’re thinking of using the same strategy you used in China — don’t.

Too many Western brands treat Japan’s market like it’s just another variation on a familiar theme. It isn’t. Not even close.

In China, Western health brands often come with a built-in halo. Trustworthy. Premium. Prestige. In Japan? That halo doesn’t exist. Especially if you’re talking to anyone over 30. For most Japanese consumers, the default assumption is that domestic is safer and better.

And it’s not about nationalism. Japan’s regulatory standards are some of the strictest in the world. And many local manufacturers have been quietly getting it right for nearly a century.

So if you’re a newcomer, the bar to earn trust is sky-high. How do you meet it?

Here’s how.

Be Ruthlessly Transparent

Health consumers in Japan aren’t impressed by vague claims or flashy marketing. The Supplement Scholars want receipts. They want to know exactly what’s in your product, how much of it, and exactly why it works.

And thanks to the recent Kobayashi red yeast scandal, Japanese consumers are examining more closely than ever. Trust has taken a knock. You need to be squeaky clean. Back up every claim like you’re being grilled on national TV, because in Japan, consumers absolutely will cross-examine you.

Don’t Underestimate Physical Retail

Yes, online sales are growing. But Japan isn’t a digital-first market, not by a long shot.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), more than 85% of beauty, health, and wellness sales in FY2023 happened offline. Drugstores. Supermarkets. Corner stores. These are the everyday places people trust. They’re where most people actually shop, not just browse.

Even when people buy do online, chances are they scoped it out in-store first. They wander the aisles. They ask staff. They compare labels in real life. Physical retail still drives the decision-making engine.

E-commerce alone won’t cut it. Think displays, pop-up events, product samples, and in-store messaging. If you’re not showing up offline, you’re invisible to a significant chunk of your audience.

Tailor Your Message

Different buyers want different things. The beauty-obsessed 20-year-old scrolling TikTok isn’t thinking (or shopping) like the 50-something salaryman who buys the same supplement every month. Different generations, different needs, different trust signals.

So don’t blast one message and hope it works on everyone. Speak to each buyer in a way that makes sense to them. Whether it’s science-backed performance or just staying functional through a busy week, meet your audience where they are.

Getting it Right with WPIC

Japan doesn’t reward the loudest voice in the room. It rewards the one that’s paying attention.

This is a market that rewards the quietly competent. The brands who show up on time, do the homework, tick the boxes, and respect the rules. It’s not a sprint. Not even a marathon. It’s more like a polite obstacle course, with forms, polite scrutiny, and a lot of subtle tests you don’t even know you’re taking.

But if you can navigate it, the payoff is long-term, loyal, and worth every ounce of effort.

At WPIC, we’ve spent years helping global brands expand to Asia, including Japan. From compliance to store activation and influencer campaigns that actually work here, we’ve got the team, the tools, and the local brains to make it happen.

And now, with our new 40,000-square-foot logistics centre next to Narita Airport, we’re speeding things up without cutting corners. Fast import routes. AI-powered inventory that keeps your stock lean and costs down.

Because in Japan, being seen isn’t the enough. You’ve got to be trusted. And that takes time, care, and the right partner beside you.

Let's Connect.

We help global brands thrive in Asia Pacific.

Book a strategy call

Get content like this in your inbox.

About WPIC

Leadership

Careers

Newsroom

Inside Japan’s Booming $7 Billion Supplement Market

Overview:

Who’s Really Buying Supplements in Japan Today?

Women are Running the Show

Age Matters (But Not How You Think)

1 Market, 2 Mindsets

5 Types of Supplement Shoppers in Japan (and How to Win Them Over)

1. The Supplement Scholars

2. The Convenience Seekers

3. The Habitual Health Nuts

4. The Indifferent Ones

5. The Natural Beauty Devotees

Let's Connect.

How Western Brands Can Succeed in Japan’s Supplement Market

Be Ruthlessly Transparent

Don’t Underestimate Physical Retail

Tailor Your Message

Getting it Right with WPIC

Let's Connect.

More trending articles

Why Australian Brands Should Expand into APAC Markets Now

The Top 3 Blogging Platforms to Grow Your Brand in Japan

January to March Japan E-commerce Calendar 2025