TikTok, the globally popular short-video platform owned by China’s ByteDance, is preparing to launch its e-commerce service, TikTok Shop, in Japan. This move marks a significant expansion for the company as it diversifies its business model beyond social media.

According to a report by Nikkei, TikTok plans to soon begin recruiting sellers for its Japanese e-commerce marketplace. The platform will enable users to sell products, including sneakers and beauty products, directly through live streams, with sellers earning commissions on sales.

The move into Japan’s strong online shopping market comes after TikTok Shop’s recent launches in a number of European markets, including France, Germany, and Italy earlier this year. The move is part of TikTok’s strategy to strengthen its global presence at a time when its core business is being challenged by regulatory issues in key markets like the United States.

In the U.S., TikTok’s future is cloudy as its parent company faces pressure to divest its American operations following the passage of a new law in 2024. However, recent signs from President Donald Trump indicate that talks about TikTok’s U.S. operations might be held up, signaling a possible easing of U.S.-China trade tensions.

Though the firm has not made any official announcement on its Japan-oriented e-commerce strategy, the move is seen as a move towards a larger effort to shield the growth potential of TikTok from geopolitics by shoring up its commercial ecosystem globally.

TikTok’s foray into e-commerce is looking to tap its huge user base and trendy livestreaming format to surf Japan’s lively online shopping trend, giving small businesses and influencers a new means of monetizing their fans.

Since TikTok Shop is about to launch in Japan, market observers will be eagerly watching to see how the social media app competes with established players in one of Asia’s most advanced e-commerce economies.

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