The Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Japanese Brands have grown by 27% in just two years. Japan’s Top 50 brands are now worth $286 billion, an increase of nearly $60.5 billion since 2024, according to the new report released today. This growth comes despite macroeconomic headwinds such as a weakening yen, rising inflation and global trade uncertainty.
Brands with strong overseas demand have thrived. Among Japan’s Top 50, 21 brands now generate more than half of their business from overseas markets, and this accounts for nearly 64% of the ranking’s total brand value.
Media and Entertainment, Apparel and Financial Services brands, including Nintendo, Uniqlo and MUFG have capitalised on these tailwinds, underlining the importance of global relevance in today’s marketplace.
Toyota remains Japan’s most valuable brand, rising 8% to $30.8 billion. The brand’s forward-thinking bet on alternative energy vehicles and its reputation for quality and reliability have helped it outperform global automotive competitors. With most unit sales generated overseas, Toyota’s global scale and adaptability are unmatched. The brand’s continued updates to its line-up ensure it remains responsive to evolving consumer demand, reinforcing Toyota’s relevance both at home and abroad.
Sony secures the No.2 spot in Japan’s BrandZ ranking, increasing its value by 41% since 2024 to $28.4 billion. The brand’s strategic pivot toward Entertainment IP and its strong global equity have fuelled this impressive growth.
UNIQLO claims third place, with its brand value soaring 80% to $24.6 billion, one of the fastest growth rates in this year’s list. UNIQLO stands out as one of Japan’s most compelling global growth stories, achieving rapid international expansion in 2025 and forecasting a fifth-straight year of profit in 2026.* UNIQLO has focused on quality and sustainability through its ‘LifeWear’ proposition to deliver comfortable and stylish clothing for everyone and has become a trusted, meaningful and different choice for consumers worldwide.
Kantar BrandZ Top 10 Most Valuable Japanese Brands 2026
| Rank 2026 | Brand | Category | Brand value 2026 (US$M) | Two year change (%) |
| 1 | Toyota | Automotive | 30,766 | 8% |
| 2 | Sony | Consumer Technology and Services Platforms | 28,407 | 41% |
| 3 | UNIQLO | Apparel | 24,642 | 80% |
| 4 | NTT | Telecom Providers | 19,713 | -14% |
| 5 | Nintendo | Media and Entertainment | 15,748 | 105% |
| 6 | Softbank | Telecom Providers | 14,243 | 26% |
| 7 | MUFG | Financial Services | 12,353 | 77% |
| 8 | 7-eleven | Retail | 11,838 | -1% |
| 9 | au | Telecom Providers | 10,569 | 17% |
| 10 | Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation | Financial Services | 9,418 | 68% |
Top 10 Highest Risers
Asics (No.14; $4.9bn) tops the Highest Risers list and leads the Apparel category’s success with a remarkable 310% increase in brand value over two years. Asics’ success is attributed to a strategic pivot from focusing on sales volume to prioritising profit metrics. By emphasising high-end products, especially in categories like Running, Asics has moved away from discounting and short-term gains, instead building long-term brand equity.
Also in the list of Highest Risers are Financial Services brands: Tokio Marine & Nichido (No.18), which more than doubled its brand value to $3.9bn (+110%), MUFG (No.7; $12.4bn; +77%) and Mizuho Bank (No.12; $7.4bn; +71%). Nintendo’s innovation with the Switch console has positioned it as a global leader, with its brand value increasing by 105% (No.5; $15.7bn).
Newcomers and Re-entrants
The arrival of Media and Entertainment newcomers Bandai Namco (No. 15; $4.4bn) and Konami (No. 17; $4.0bn) underscores the accelerating influence of gaming and entertainment IP across Japan’s brand landscape. Gaming-only brands now contribute $24 billion in total brand value. This rapid expansion highlights the sector’s central role in shaping both cultural relevance and commercial performance within Japan’s most valuable brands.
Lexus (No.24; $3.3bn) enters the ranking for the first time, leveraging premium positioning and disciplined pricing strategies to strengthen its global competitiveness. Financial services brand Sompo (No.37; $1.6bn) also enters for the first time. Brands rejoining the ranking include: Muji (No.27; $2.4bn), Resona Bank (No.33; $1.8bn) and Sushiro (No.42; $1.6bn).
Other insights from the 2026 Kantar BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Japanese Brands report include:
- Top Brands Find New Space: Japan’s strongest brands are re-energising their multi-category heritage through digital acceleration. Brand leaders are leveraging their equity to expand into new markets and categories, extending technology, infrastructure, and brand assets into adjacent services that are difficult for competitors to replicate.
- Meaningful Difference Wins: Meaningful Difference remains the critical lever for growth, yet fewer than half of Japan’s top brands outperform the global average on this measure. Even market leaders must continue to strengthen emotional relevance of their brands to drive sustainable future growth.
- Cultural Relevance: Brands with distinctive cultural assets are delivering real competitive advantage. Those that invest in and showcase their unique cultural identity, rather than generic or easily copied features, are more likely to succeed.
- Rethinking Value: With inflation and interest rates remaining elevated, Japanese brands should not rely solely on discounting. The most successful brands are innovating on value, introducing new subscription models, digital experiences, smarter rewards and AI-enabled discovery, to better address household cost pressures and evolving consumer expectations.
Discover the 2026 Kantar BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Japanese Brands ranking, report, and extensive analysis at https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/brandz/japan
For a quick read on a brand’s performance compared to competitors in a specific category, Kantar’s free interactive tool, BrandSnapshot powered by BrandZ, provides intelligence on 15,000 brands. Find out more here
