Senior advertising creative exploring a move to Tokyo – agency vs in-house brand side?

Hi everyone,

I’m starting to seriously explore the possibility of relocating to Tokyo with my family and wanted to ask for some advice from people working in the Japanese advertising / brand world.

I’m currently a senior advertising copywriter with international agency experience. Most of my work sits on the conceptual side – brand platforms, integrated campaigns, earned-media ideas, and larger campaign thinking rather than purely tactical copy. Some international creative awards and large campaigns under my belt

I’m starting to get my reps leading work and shaping ideas, but not quite at ACD level yet.

Like many creatives, Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo would obviously be a dream place to work…but we’ll…realistically…

Specifically, I’d love insight on two things:

1. Agency side in Tokyo

How realistic is it for international creatives to land roles at agencies there? Are there particular shops that regularly hire foreign creatives?

1. In-house / brand-side creative teams

I’m also curious what it’s like working on the brand side in Japan. Are in-house teams doing interesting creative work, or is most of the conceptual work still agency-driven?

And how does compensation compare between agencies and in-house roles in Tokyo?

My main goal is to move to Tokyo with my wife and build a career in the creative industry there, so I’m trying to understand how the landscape actually works before I start reaching out to agencies.

If anyone here works in the Tokyo advertising world – agency or brand side – I’d really appreciate any insights or advice.

Thanks!