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Storefront Localization Playbook

Localize App Store Keywords: United States to Japan

Playbook for expanding App Store keywords from United States to Japan. Covers secondary indexing rules, script expansion (0.4x), and metadata tips.

Cross-Storefront Blueprint & Indexing Rules

Expanding from United States to Japan shifts your primary keyword language from English to Japanese. Text length contracts by ~60%.

  • •Origin Market: United States (US)
  • •Destination Market: Japan (JP)
  • •Script Expansion Factor: 0.4x
  • •Secondary Indexing: Japan indexes Japanese and English (US). English keywords in your primary locale still match searches in Tokyo.

Metadata Translation & Character Strategy

Title (30 chars)

Place the primary Japanese high-demand search term in your 30-character App Title.

Subtitle (30 chars)

Reinforce secondary intent and benefits in Japanese within 30 characters.

Keyword Field (100 chars)

Fill the 100-character keyword field with comma-separated, single root words in Japanese without spaces after commas.

Localization Checklist

  • ✓Check Apple's secondary language indexing rules for Japan.
  • ✓Account for script expansion: Contracts by ~60% when translating from English to Japanese.
  • ✓Verify Apple Search Ads popularity for target keywords directly in the Japan storefront.
  • ✓Audit top-ranking local competitor subtitles in Japan before finalizing your 100-character field.

Cross-Market Indexing Rules & Script Density

When taking an app successful in United States into Japan, the biggest mistake is direct literal translation. Search intent is cultural, not purely grammatical.

Japan indexes Japanese and English (US). English keywords in your primary locale still match searches in Tokyo.

Script expansion factor is 0.4x (Contracts by ~60%). In a 30-character title limit, every character counts.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Japan

Never machine-translate English idioms; Japanese users search with specific Katakana loanwords or Kanji concepts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Apple automatically translate my keywords from United States for Japan?
No. Apple does not translate metadata across languages. If you do not provide dedicated Japanese metadata, users searching in Japan will only find you if they type in English or if secondary indexing applies.
How do I verify search volume in Japan?
Use ASOGrade's Japan storefront selector. It reads Apple Search Ads demand scores calibrated directly to local search behavior in Japan.

Other Localization Playbooks

Score keywords for Japan

Analyze Apple Search Ads demand and difficulty for Japan directly in your browser.

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