After a recent discussion with Tarik at m19 HQ, we have officially decided that the Japan team will take the lead in supporting m19’s expansion into the Australian market.

Originally, m19 Japan was established to manage the Japanese market due to barriers such as language, business customs, and market-specific challenges. In addition, time differences and physical distance made it difficult for HQ to cover Japan directly. Based on our strong track record in Japan and our ability to overcome these operational challenges, we concluded that the Japan team is in the best position to take on this new responsibility as well.

At SOPHOLA, we have previously explored opportunities in markets such as Thailand and other regions. However, we faced difficulties due to differences in business culture, agency practices, and local expectations, which made it challenging to achieve the outcomes we hoped for.

That said, expanding into Australia is something we have never attempted before. We see this as a valuable new growth opportunity, and we are excited to approach it with fresh perspective and determination.

As a first step, I will be traveling to Sydney later this month to participate in an Amazon Ads–hosted event. This will be an important opportunity for us to speak, network, and build strong relationships with local agencies as well as the Amazon Ads sales team.

Of course, it would be unrealistic to expect everything to go smoothly from the beginning. But by turning challenges into lessons, I hope we can make 2026 a key year of market expansion for m19 Japan.

SOPHOLA, Inc.
Founder & CEO
Masaki Iino

P.S. Kaori is currently at m19 HQ strengthening our partnership even further — which is always great to see!