English speaking Google Ads agency in Japan – bilingual campaigns, clear reports

When you need Google Ads managed in English

Two situations usually lead here. The people making decisions work in English, or the customers you want to reach search in English. Knowing which one applies to you shapes the whole setup.

• Japanese subsidiaries of foreign companies: budgets are approved and results are reported to a head office in English
• Foreign-owned shops, salons and clinics: the customers are Japanese, while the owner prefers English for the dashboard and reports
• Services for expats in Japan: real estate, schools, healthcare, relocation and other services people look for in English
• Restaurants, activities and stays for visitors: travelers who search "near me" in English while they are in Japan

Most businesses need Japanese-language ads for Japanese customers, with strategy and reporting in English. English campaigns can be added on top once that base works, which keeps the budget split simple.

What to check in an English speaking Google Ads agency

Speaking English is only half the job. A good partner writes Japanese ads that convert and explains them clearly in English. Use this checklist:

• Native-quality Japanese copy: headlines translated word for word from English feel foreign to Japanese searchers. Ask to see the copy and an English explanation of it
• English reporting: spend, clicks, inquiries and, most importantly, what will change next month and why
• Account ownership: the Google Ads account and GA4 should be in your company's name. With agency-owned accounts, history can be lost when the contract ends
• Billing: ad spend paid from your account directly to Google, with management fees shown separately
• Japanese advertising rules: claims like "No.1" or "cheapest" need evidence under the Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations, and beauty and health ads fall under the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Act. Guidelines are updated, so the latest official versions should be checked
• Written communication: email or chat, so every decision is on record and easy to forward

Confirm ownership and billing in writing before you start. For a broader look at choosing a search ads partner, see search ads management.

How to split Japanese and English campaigns

Google Ads can target people by the languages they use. If you advertise in both Japanese and English, give each language its own campaign. Budgets and results then show up per language, which also makes reporting cleaner.

• Language targeting: set Japanese campaigns to Japanese and English campaigns to English. Many residents of Japan keep their phones in English, so location alone does not tell you the language
• Keywords: Japanese searches mix katakana, hiragana and kanji spellings, and often combine an area name with the service. English searches lean on "near me" and place names
• Character limits: responsive search ad headlines allow 30 characters, and full-width Japanese characters count as two, so Japanese headlines run about 15 characters
• Landing page language: an English ad that lands on a Japanese-only page loses most visitors within seconds. Match the page to the ad
• Area and schedule: keep local businesses to their real catchment area, pause call ads outside opening hours and plan around Japanese holidays such as Golden Week and Obon

The landing page often decides whether ads pay off. Our guide to a website for entering the Japanese market covers the page side, and overseas ads management covers advertising from Japan to customers abroad.

Getting started and what to prepare

Starting in English works the same way as starting in Japanese. A small search campaign can typically go live within a few weeks once the basics below are ready.

• One main goal: inquiries, bookings, calls or downloads
• Accounts: a Google Ads account and GA4 in your company's name, or admin access to the ones you already have
• Payment: a card or other payment method added to your own Google Ads account
• Monthly budget: an amount you are comfortable testing for at least a month
• Audience and area: where you want to show ads, in which language and to whom
• Your strengths: price, location, languages spoken, specialties – the raw material for ad copy

In the first weeks after launch, search terms are reviewed, irrelevant ones are excluded and ad copy is rotated. A monthly summary with clear next steps makes it easy to brief your head office.

How UNANOBO works: English by message, a free landing page demo first

Before any ad goes live, UNANOBO builds a free demo of the page your ads will lead to, designed around your brand. You review the Japanese version, and an English one if you need it, on a computer and a phone. Once you like the direction, you get a campaign structure proposal, a plan and an estimate.

The process is free demo, feedback, launch, growth. The founder handles every project personally, so you keep one contact from the first demo to ongoing optimization. Everything runs by message in Japanese or English, and reports come in the language you choose, so your local staff and overseas owners see the same picture. Ad accounts and analytics are set up in your company's name from day one.