Oshikatsu, the phenomenon that Japan wants to use to pull its economy out of the crisis

The posters at Tokyo's massive Shinjuku train station are typically used to advertise products such as cosmetics and food, as well as new movies.

But every now and then you might come across a poster with a birthday message and a photo of a young person, usually from a boy band and looking impeccable.

These posters are created by specialized advertising companies, and are paid for by passionate fans. They are part of a phenomenon called oshikatsu , a term coined in recent years that is derived from the Japanese words for "boost" and "activity."

Oshikatsu refers to the efforts fans make to support their favorite oshi , which can be an artist, an anime or manga character, or a group they admire and want to "boost".

A considerable part of this support is economic in nature. Fans attend events and concerts or purchase merchandise such as CDs, posters, and other collectibles. Other forms of oshikatsu are aimed at spreading the idol's fame by sharing content about their oshi , participating in social media campaigns, and writing fan fiction or drawing fan art .

Oshikatsu emerged from fans' desire to have a closer connection with their idols. The combination of oshi and katsu first appeared on social media in 2016, and spread as a hashtag on Twitter (now X) in 2018. In 2021, oshikatsu was nominated as a candidate for word of the year in Japan, a sign that its use had become popular.

Now it has entered the radar of Japanese companies. The reason is the explosion of inflation in recent years, caused by the pandemic's supply chain disruption and geopolitical shocks, which have led Japanese consumers to cut back on their spending.

However, with wages set to rise again for the third time in three years, the government is cautiously optimistic that economic growth can be revived through consumer spending. Entertainment and media companies are looking to oshikatsu as a possible driver of this trend, although it is unclear whether the upcoming wage hikes will be enough.

A widespread phenomenon

Contrary to popular perception, oshikatsu is no longer exclusive to subcultures or young people. The phenomenon has also reached older age groups in Japan.

According to a 2024 survey by Japanese market research firm Harumeku, 46% of women in their 50s have an oshi they support financially. Older generations tend to have more money to spend, especially after their own children finish school.

Oshikatsu also represents an interesting reversal in terms of gender roles. While in the traditional Japanese family, husbands are still considered the breadwinners, in oshikatsu it is more common to see women financially supporting young men.

How much fans spend on their oshi varies. According to a recent survey conducted by Japanese marketing company CDG and Oshicoco, an advertising agency specializing in oshikatsu , the average amount spent by fans on activities related to their oshi is 250,000 yen (about $2,800) per year.

It is estimated that this contributes 3.5 trillion yen (approximately US$137 billion) to the Japanese economy each year, and represents 2.1% of total annual retail sales in Japan.

Oshikatsu will boost consumer spending. But I doubt it will have the impact on the Japanese economy that officials hope. For younger fans, the risk is that government approval will wipe out any kind of cool influence, making oshikatsu less appealing to them in the long run.

And if you support an oshi who hasn’t yet achieved success, you may feel more strongly that your support matters. So some of the spending will go directly to individuals rather than established corporate superstars. But it’s also possible that struggling young oshi will spend more of this money than established celebrities.

The international press is focusing on the economics of oshikatsu; on the peculiarity of “obsessive” fans who take on a second job to support their oshi; or on mothers who spend large sums on a man half their age. But what this coverage ignores is the slow but profound social transformation of which oshikatsu is a symptom.

A 2022 survey of people who practice oshikatsu makes it clear that “fan activities” fulfill a deep desire for connection, validation, and belonging. While this could be fulfilled by a friendship or intimate relationship, a growing number of young Japanese adults feel that such bonds are “problematic.”

Young men lead this category, especially those who do not work in offices with relatively stable corporate jobs, the so-called salarymen . Many who work part-time or in manual labor jobs are struggling to imagine a future in which they have a family.

Thus, the tertiary sector is changing to accommodate an increasing number of services that transform intangible things, such as friendship, companionship and escapist romantic fantasies, into paid services.

From non-sexual cuddling to renting a friend for the day or meeting a crossdressing escort, people can seek temporary relief from loneliness for the moment. As a result, human connection itself is becoming something that can be consumed for a fee.

On the other hand, sharing oshikatsu activities can lead to new friendships. Fans coming together to worship their idols collectively is a powerful way to create new communities. It remains to be seen how these changes in the way people interact will shape the future of Japan’s economy and society.

*Fabio Gygi is Professor of Anthropology at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London, UK.

This article was originally published on the academic news site The Conversation and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Read the original version here .