The CJ Group Chairman discussed opportunities for global expansion of CJ’s businesses in the fields of food, beauty and culture
CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-Hyun kicked off his global on-site management tour for 2025 with a three-day trip to Japan, underscoring the group’s expansion plans in entertainment, food, beauty and beyond.
During his visit to CJ Japan headquarters in Tokyo starting April 2, Lee inspected local operations, reviewed the company’s business performance, explored new opportunities for global expansion and met with key leaders in Japan’s entertainment, retail and finance industries.
Chairman Lee encouraged the executives to actively pursue new business opportunities, such as CJ Olive Young’s expansion into Japan, and to enhance the competitiveness of existing operations through local partnerships. “The renewed popularity of the Korean wave, or Hallyu, in Japan is not just a fad, but a critical opportunity to take K-culture to the next level,” he said. “CJ businesses in Japan, such as bibigo, should be prepared to take hold of this opportunity. We must accelerate localization and global infrastructure construction to increase competitiveness and position ourselves as a global leading company.”
During the visit, Lee also held meetings with key industry leaders, including TBS Holdings Chairman Sasaki Takashi and President Abe Ryujiro, to reaffirm the partnership between the two companies and explore areas for collaboration. Lee also met with Masahiro Okafuji, Chairman of ITOCHU Corporation; Seiji Imai, Chairman of Mizuho Financial Group; and Masahiko Kato, President of Mizuho Bank, to discuss potential business cooperation and share insights on new growth opportunities.
In addition, Lee engaged in discussions with cultural and content experts from both Korea and Japan, including Takeo Hoshi, a renowned economist from The University of Tokyo, focusing on Japan’s shifting economic landscape and the rising influence of K-culture, particularly among Millennials and Gen Z, as well as insights on overcoming Japan’s prolonged economic stagnation and uncovering new engines for growth.
The Hallyu wave has been in Japan for decades now, but recently, the country has seen the rise of a “K-trend” that goes beyond the traditional Korean wave. Previously, Korean influences were largely centered around K-dramas and K-pop, while today’s K-trends have grown into a broader lifestyle movement that encompasses food, beauty, fashion and more. The shift has been driven in part by the spread of oshi-katsu (推し活) — consumer culture that’s driven by fandoms — across all age groups, further amplifying the impact of Korean culture. Notably, Japan’s younger generations, particularly those in their 20s and 30s, are at the forefront of this trend. As a result, localization strategies built on strong local partnerships are emerging as a key growth engine for Korean companies expanding globally.
CJ Group operates a diverse range of businesses in Japan, spanning food, entertainment and beauty. CJ Foods is actively growing its ready-to-eat product lineup in the Japanese market, focusing on items like bibigo mandu and gimbap. In 2019, CJ ENM established a joint venture, LAPONE Entertainment, through which it built a localized Music Creative eco-System (MCS) initiative, encompassing IP planning, platform development and management. LAPONE-produced groups such as JO1 and INI have been widely recognized for successfully localizing the K-pop model in Japan. Beyond artist management, CJ continues to engage local fans by regularly hosting major K-pop events like KCON and the MAMA AWARDS in Japan.
Last year, CJ Olive Young designated Japan and the U.S. as priority markets for its global expansion strategy and established local subsidiaries in both countries. The company plans to scale its business through a comprehensive on-and-offline approach by expanding offline distribution channels for its private-label brands while also boosting the reach and awareness of its global online store.
“With K-culture rapidly spreading among Japan’s younger generations, these visits are intended to provide firsthand insights into local trends and evaluate the progress of our global expansion efforts,” a CJ representative explained. “Through both Korean and international visits, we plan to share CJ Group’s vision with employees and strengthen communications across the board to accelerate our global growth strategy.”
