When it comes to search engines in Japan, many may assume that Google dominates across the board. While it’s true that Google holds a commanding share of the Japanese search market, it’s a mistake to overlook Yahoo Japan. Since its launch in 1996 as a joint venture between Yahoo! Inc. and Japan’s SoftBank, Yahoo Japan has grown into far more than just a search engine. It has evolved into a full-fledged portal site, offering everything from news and weather to auctions and Q&A forums.
In this article, we explore Yahoo Japan’s unique position in the market, how it differs from Google despite using the same search engine core, and why it still matters in 2025 for anyone serious about succeeding in Japanese SEO.
1. What Is Yahoo Japan?
Yahoo Japan began in 1996 as a collaboration between Yahoo! Inc. and Japanese telecommunications giant SoftBank. By the late 2000s, it was the most widely used search engine in Japan. However, in 2010, Yahoo Japan adopted Google’s search engine technology to improve accuracy and relevance in its search results.
Despite using the same engine, Yahoo Japan presents its content within a robust portal site interface, combining search functionality with news, weather, shopping, auctions, and the popular Yahoo Chiebukuro (a Q&A forum similar to Quora). This portal-based approach means that Japanese users often access search results differently than they would on Google, making Yahoo Japan a unique entry point for web traffic.
2. Yahoo Japan’s Market Share in 2025
As of March 2025, Google maintains approximately 70% of the Japanese search engine market across both PC and mobile platforms. Yahoo Japan and Bing compete for the second spot, with Bing capturing about 17.8% on PC and 0.7% on mobile. Given that Yahoo Japan shares the same search backend as Google, there’s generally no need to create a separate SEO strategy just for Yahoo.
However, Bing is a different story. Since it uses a separate algorithm, any serious Japanese SEO campaign should at least consider its influence—particularly if your target audience includes desktop users or corporate sectors in Japan.
3. Why Yahoo Japan Still Matters in 2025
While younger users may prefer Google, Yahoo Japan maintains strong loyalty among Japan’s middle-aged and older generations—many of whom first encountered the internet through Yahoo Japan’s portal. That loyalty has translated into continued high traffic in 2025.
In fact, Yahoo Japan’s main site (yahoo.co.jp) is the second most visited website in Japan, and its news portal (news.yahoo.co.jp) ranks fourth. Yahoo News offers content from a wide range of Japanese media partners, providing comprehensive coverage on politics, economics, entertainment, and more. Its comment section further enhances user engagement, allowing readers to share and compare opinions.
Yahoo Japan also runs Yahoo Auctions, Japan’s second-largest online auction platform. In a market where global players like eBay have failed to make an impact, Yahoo Auctions continues to thrive thanks to localized services tailored to Japanese preferences. For brands entering Japan, these features make Yahoo Japan an ecosystem worth considering—even beyond search.
4. Yahoo Japan vs Google: SEO Implications
Since Yahoo Japan uses Google’s search engine system, separate SEO tactics are usually unnecessary. However, differences in user interface (UI) can affect user behavior. Yahoo Japan presents search results within a layout filled with rich content, links, and headlines, which may encourage higher click-through rates compared to Google.
That’s why it’s essential for marketers to analyze how their content appears on Yahoo Japan and Google. The layout and visual presentation can influence user engagement—even if the underlying search algorithm is the same. Understanding these subtle differences can give you a competitive edge in Japanese SEO.
5. AI Integration in Japanese Search Engines
Starting in 2024, both Google and Yahoo Japan began integrating AI technology into their search results.
Google launched its “AI Overview” feature in over 100 countries, including Japan, in November 2024. This AI-powered summary tool presents key takeaways from websites directly in search results, saving users time and improving usability.
Not to be outdone, Yahoo Japan rolled out its own generative AI feature in October 2024. It provides AI-generated answers directly in the search interface and even offers a chat-style interaction to explore topics further. These tools mark a significant shift in how users access and interpret search data in Japan—and will undoubtedly influence Japanese SEO strategies moving forward.
6. Final Thoughts: Do You Need Yahoo Japan in Your Strategy?
While Google remains dominant in Japan, Yahoo Japan continues to play a pivotal role, especially among older demographics and users who value its portal-style experience. It is more than just a search engine—it’s a gateway to news, auctions, weather, and more.
Whether or not to include Yahoo Japan in your Japanese SEO strategy depends on your resources and goals. If your brand is targeting a broad Japanese audience and you have a team or budget to support localized efforts, incorporating Yahoo Japan can provide measurable value. However, for businesses with limited resources, focusing on Google SEO alone may still deliver solid results—since Yahoo Japan shares the same backend.
Still, understanding how users interact with Yahoo Japan’s unique interface can reveal new opportunities for visibility and engagement. In a market as distinct as Japan, that extra layer of insight can make all the difference.