twitter in Japanese is on twitter.com with ads

We found it. Anyone can switch your twitter to Japanese menu (and advertising!) from [Settings]->[Account tab]->[Language drop down]-[Japanese]. Or if your browser's language settings precedes Japanese, you will see Japanese interface on twitter.com

Here you are,

twitter in Japanese

At top of the sidebar, you can see an ad box, which is planned to be backported to English version.

The JP domain - twitter.jp -, which we expected a Japanese version, is merely forwarding to twitter.com . Whether it is owned by twitter or not is unknown. (confirmed that twitter Inc. owns twitter.jp [J])

Top page before login also can be switched to Japanese,

twitter top page in Japanese

What kind of ads?

Now I'm seeing following ads on Japanese twitter.

  • Toyota
  • en-Japan (outplacement service company)
  • two twitter guidebooks (kind of "twitter for dummies" books)
  • twitter API guidebook

Toyota's ad takes you to the page which encourages you to follow their portal Gazoo.com.

See Also:

twitter Japan launched … where?

Press Conference on Ustream [Live]

[Update]

Press Rrelease by Digital Garage [J]

Official twitter blog (English) mentioned

Digital Garage founder Joi Ito's blog


Author Information  @akky(Akky AKIMOTO) is one of the first pro-bloggers in Japan [J]. He also leads Asiajin, writes for Japan Times, does consultation for foreign companies interested in entering Japanese web market.


  • http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/04/24/japan-twitter-in-japanese-with-ads/ Global Voices Online

    The new localized version of Twitter in Japanese has been launched, as reported by Joi Ito,Asiajin, and the Polar Bear Blog. The Japanese version, unlike the current English one, includes advertisements, and there is a plan to eventually export these ads back to the English version.

  • http://fumikoitos.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/twitter-first-ads-and-first-localization-japanese/ BEAUTIFUL LIFE -日本とカナダから見つめるWeb2.0事情 

    おっ、さっそくも、Mashableにも記事が、、、。 Twitter Launches Japanese With Ads, If You Please <ニュース業界、プレス関連の参考記事> ミニブログの米ツイッター、日本語版23日開始twitter in Japanese is on twitter.com with adsTwitter for Japan Live Report From Japan: Twitter Goes Live WithJapanese Localization Twitter日本語版記者説明会 ミニブログ・サービスTwitterの日本語版がスタート <ブログ内Twitter、関連記事>

  • http://tech.memeorandum.com Techmeme

    + Discussion: CNET News.com andAsiajin

  • http://www.cgmm.co.jp/twitter_ad/2008/04/twitter_2.html Twitter for advertisers

    Blog Herald “Twitter Japan Launches” http://www.blogherald.com/2008/04/23/twitter-japan-launches/ Twitter Blog “Twitter for Japan” http://blog.twitter.com/2008/04/twitter-for-japan.html#links Asiajin”twitter in Japanese is on twitter.com with ads”http://asiajin.com/blog/2008/04/23/twitter-japan-is-a-language-switch-on-twittercom/ Joi Ito’s Web “Twitter Japan is a go!” http://joi.ito.com/archives/2008/04/23/twitter_japan_is_a_go.html

  • jessnuss

    on safari from the US. changed the language settings… still no Japanese.

  • http://akimoto.jp/blog/ Akky Akimoto

    Hmm. That sounds strange. Location should not affect it.

  • http://popjisyo.com darekana

    Still not sure what the twitter business model is…

  • http://asiajin.com/blog/2008/07/17/tokyo2point0-event-twitter-japan-and-goo/ Tokyo2point0 Event: Twitter Japan and Goo | Asiajin

    [...] of Digital Garage, the company that invested in Twitter and introduced a Japanese version in April this [...]

  • http://asiajin.com/blog/2009/10/12/twitter-launches-video-service-from-japan/ Asiajin » Twitter Launches Video Service From Japan

    [...] co-founder Biz Stone denied “advertisement on Twitter” plan in near future, Twitter Japanese page has been showing ads for 18 months now, which Twitter US called “some commercial [...]

  • http://asiajin.com/blog/2009/11/28/twitter-paid-account-plan-clearly-denied-by-digital-garage/ Asiajin » Twitter Paid Account Plan Clearly Denied By Digital Garage

    [...] Banner ads on the Twitter page in Japanese was confirmed by US Twitter as an experiment. [...]

  • http://asiajin.com/blog/2010/07/22/recruits-new-coupon-site-troubled-raises-suspicious-on-groupon-model/ Asiajin » Recruit’s New Coupon Site Troubled, Raises Suspicious On Groupon Model

    [...] as the pomparade ad is shown on Twitter Japan (Japanese localization has ad space on sidebar for 2 years), Recruit seems to put fair amount of promotion budget to this [...]

  • Santamaeamestoso

    wla ko kasabot!