Why ABM Struggles in Japan—and How to Get It Right

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a proven strategy for driving high-value B2B deals, yet its adoption in Japan remains slow and challenging. Many companies entering the market expect their global ABM playbooks to work seamlessly—only to find that data gaps, sales dynamics, and tech limitations make execution more complex than anticipated.

The reality is that the strategies that drive success in other markets must be adapted to Japan’s unique business culture and operational landscape.

The Barriers to ABM Success in Japan

1. Limited Access to Intent and Firmographic Data

ABM thrives on deep account and contact intelligence, but Japan's data ecosystem is significantly different from other markets. The structured, large-scale intent data that fuels ABM in Western markets—such as insights from Bombora or 6sense—simply isn’t available at the same scale or granularity in Japan. 

However, firmographic data is more accessible through local providers. Platforms like SPEEDA offer detailed company financials, industry reports, and market analyses, while Teikoku Databank (TDB), one of Japan’s corporate data providers, maintains extensive records on millions of businesses, including credit ratings, financials, and industry classifications. These resources help with account segmentation, but the challenge remains in integrating this data with global ABM strategies and compensating for the lack of contact and intent data.

Without reliable third-party intent signals, companies must rely more on first-party data and predictive analytics to infer buying intent. Maximizing CRM data, tracking website interactions, and partnering with local research firms can help fill the gap. Unlike in other markets where LinkedIn serves as a valuable contact database for B2B targeting, its adoption in Japan remains low, making it harder to access professional profiles and engagement data. As a result, companies must explore alternative sources, such as industry associations, event participation, and direct outreach, to build accurate contact lists. Companies that effectively combine firmographic insights with internal engagement data will gain a competitive advantage in executing ABM successfully in Japan.

2. Sales Dominance Over Marketing

ABM relies on tight sales and marketing alignment, yet in Japan, sales teams often operate independently, with marketing playing a supportive rather than strategic role. In some companies, there is no dedicated marketing function at all, leaving sales to handle outreach and customer engagement.

Unlike other markets where marketing actively drives pipeline growth, Japanese sales teams tend to rely on relationship-based selling and long-term trust-building, making it harder to integrate data-driven, account-based strategies. Without strong collaboration, ABM initiatives fail to gain traction, as marketing struggles to influence high-value accounts without full buy-in from sales.

3. Fragmented and Incompatible Tech Stacks

Many companies entering Japan assume that global ABM platforms—Demandbase, Terminus, 6sense—will integrate smoothly with their existing marketing and sales infrastructure. However, most of these global tools do not have data coverage in Japan and the available features are limited.

Also, heavy customization of the marketing and sales tech stack makes it difficult to adapt successful implementation of ABM tools. Differences in data formats, workflows, and compliance requirements can create friction, leading to data silos between sales and marketing. This fragmentation complicates campaign tracking, account engagement measurement, and multi-channel orchestration, making ABM execution less effective.

Even when companies attempt to bridge these gaps with custom integrations, localization challenges and operational complexities often slow down implementation. Without a seamless flow of account data across systems, ABM strategies can become disconnected and inefficient, reducing their ability to target and engage high-value accounts effectively. Companies expanding into Japan must ensure their tech stack is interoperable and aligned with the unique requirements of the market to maximize ABM success.

4. Lack of ABM Expertise and Market-Specific Strategies

Even with the right tools and data, ABM requires specialized expertise to execute effectively. Many companies entering Japan lack internal teams with deep ABM knowledge, and hiring local talent with this expertise can be challenging.

The problem isn’t just operational—it’s strategic. Applying the ABM framework without localization leads to failure. Japanese buyers expect high-touch engagement, deep relationship-building, and tailored messaging that reflects market nuances and business culture. A purely digital, automated ABM approach often falls flat in Japan’s trust-driven business environment.

How to Succeed with ABM in Japan

ABM works in Japan—but only when adapted to fit the local sales culture, data landscape, and operational realities. Companies that succeed take a different approach:

• Invest in first-party data and local insights. Without strong third-party intent data, maximizing CRM data, website interactions, and local market intelligence is critical. However, Sales Marker and other emerging intent data providers are reshaping ABM execution in Japan.
  
  
• Align sales and marketing early. ABM must be positioned as a revenue strategy, not a marketing initiative, ensuring sales teams are active participants in execution.
  
  
• Build an ABM strategy tailored for Japan. Relationship-building is key—automated touchpoints alone won’t drive success. Account engagement must be more personal and trust-driven.
  
  
• Ensure tech stack interoperability. Without seamless integration between global and local platforms, ABM execution becomes slow and fragmented.
  
  
• Develop internal expertise or work with ABM specialists. Many companies lack in-house ABM expertise specific to Japan. 01GROWTH helps businesses bridge this gap by aligning global ABM strategies with Japan’s market realities, providing operational guidance, and ensuring execution fits local buyer expectations.
  
  

Companies that successfully localize their ABM approach gain a competitive edge in a market where few are executing it well. ABM isn’t just about technology or tactics—it’s about aligning strategy, culture, and execution to engage the right accounts in the right way. The opportunity is there for those who can adapt.

‍