The verdict in three sentences
An executive search firm in Tokyo has two audiences on Google, clients (boards, CEOs, HR heads) and candidates, and a good SEO partner must serve both in Japanese and English. Monthly retainers seen in Tokyo run from about USD 1,330 to 6,670 (JPY 200,000 to 1,000,000, 2026 ballpark), and an offer far below that often hides machine translation or bought links. Before signing, require a 90-day plan, accounts in your name and candidate data handling that complies with the APPI.
What your clients and candidates type into Google in Tokyo
International executives search in English, HR heads of Japanese groups in Japanese, and bilingual candidates switch between the two. Volumes are modest, but a single retained search often carries fees of 30 to 35% of first-year compensation.
| Query | Language | Audience | Page that must answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| executive search Tokyo | English | Heads of foreign subsidiaries | Home page, practice overview |
| エグゼクティブサーチ 東京 | Japanese | HR heads of Japanese groups | Japanese version written by a native speaker |
| CFO search Japan bilingual | English | Regional finance leadership | Finance practice page with a named partner |
| 外資系 転職 ヘッドハンター | Japanese | Candidates moving to foreign firms | Candidate page, open mandates |
| country manager recruitment Tokyo | English | Headquarters in Europe or the US | Sector page, search process |
| [firm name] 評判 | Japanese | Candidates and clients | Verifiable facts, license, team |
| submit CV executive search Tokyo | English | Senior candidates | Minimal form, retention policy |
The site must also reassure on confidentiality: clients want to know how a discreet search is run, candidates want to know who will see their CV. Never a client name or a placement without written consent.
SEO pricing in Tokyo: what to expect in 2026
Ranges drawn from typical Tokyo agency quotes and public rate pages, converted approximately (USD 1 ≈ JPY 150). 2026 ballpark, excluding consumption tax.
| Package | Local price (JPY) | Approximate equivalent (USD) | What you actually get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly consultant | JPY 15,000 to 35,000 per hour | USD 100 to 235 per hour | Advice, no production |
| One-off technical audit | JPY 500,000 to 2,000,000 | USD 3,330 to 13,330 | Diagnosis and priorities, implementation extra |
| Monthly retainer, boutique agency | JPY 200,000 to 1,000,000 per month | USD 1,330 to 6,670 per month | Monitoring, content, light technical work |
| Monthly retainer, large agency | JPY 1,500,000 to 3,000,000 per month | USD 10,000 to 20,000 per month | Dedicated team, heavy coordination |
| Bilingual JA/EN copywriting | JPY 50,000 to 150,000 per page | USD 330 to 1,000 per page | Practice pages, bios, candidate pages |
At Kolonell, an SEO engagement is on quote, set after analyzing your queries in both languages. Nobody can promise you a specific position on Google.
Red flags, with what you hear in the meeting
| Red flag | Typical sales line | Risk for a search firm |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking promise | You will be number one for headhunter Tokyo in three months | Aggressive methods, possible Google penalty |
| Link packages | 50 quality backlinks per month included | Links from low-quality sites, damaged image |
| No Search Console access | We handle everything on our side | You lose the history when you switch provider |
| Report with no business metric | Traffic went up 40% | No data on client inquiries or qualified CVs |
| Candidate data ignored | We add a full CV form on every page | Excessive collection under the APPI |
| Machine-translated Japanese | Our tool translates your pages in a day | Awkward tone, lost credibility with Japanese HR heads |
| 12-month minimum term | It is the market standard | No exit if the work disappoints |
The APPI, Japan's Act on the Protection of Personal Information, overseen by the PPC, requires among other things that the purposes of collection be specified. For CVs, that argues for a minimal form and a stated retention period. Fee-charging employment placement in Japan falls under a licensing regime, and many firms display their license number: a serious provider will place it where it reassures. This is not legal advice.
The questions that separate the proposals
- Have you worked for a recruiting or advisory firm, and how did you separate the client and candidate journeys?
- Who writes the Japanese, and can we see a text this person has already published?
- How do you measure qualified client inquiries, as distinct from applications?
- What do you suggest for the open mandates page without exposing client identities?
- Which actions from the first 90 days will we be able to verify ourselves?
A serious first quarter starts with the technical audit and accounts opened in the firm's name, continues with rewriting the practice and candidate pages in both languages, and ends with a first review of brand queries and inquiries received. On day 90, you should know what was done, what moved and what is left.
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Marunouchi Search Partners, 11 consultants in Tokyo, Finance and Industrial practices. Its managing partner scores three proposals from 1 to 5 on four weighted criteria (recruiting experience 30%, Japanese quality 30%, reporting 20%, price 20%).
- Proposal A, JPY 300,000 per month (about USD 2,000): 2, 2, 3, 5, so 0.6 + 0.6 + 0.6 + 1.0 = 2.8.
- Proposal B, JPY 650,000 per month (about USD 4,330): 4, 5, 4, 3, so 1.2 + 1.5 + 0.8 + 0.6 = 4.1.
- Proposal C, JPY 1,800,000 per month (about USD 12,000): 4, 4, 5, 1, so 1.2 + 1.2 + 1.0 + 0.2 = 3.6.
He picks B. Over 6 months, that is JPY 3,900,000, or about USD 26,000, to set against the fee on a single search for a CFO paid JPY 25,000,000: at 33%, about JPY 8,250,000.
FAQ
Do we need a Japanese site if our clients are multinationals?
Yes, as soon as you target HR heads of Japanese groups or local candidates. Native copywriting typically costs JPY 50,000 to 150,000 per page, or about USD 330 to 1,000.
What annual SEO budget should we plan in Tokyo?
As a 2026 ballpark, a serious boutique represents JPY 2,400,000 to 12,000,000 per year, or about USD 16,000 to 80,000. Add an initial audit if the site is more than three years old.
How long before we see results?
Brand queries often improve within 2 to 4 months. Generic queries such as executive search Tokyo usually take 6 to 12 months, with no position promised.
Can we publish our placements to reassure clients?
Only with the written consent of the client and the candidate. A page describing 5 to 8 types of searches without names often has the same effect.
How should we handle CVs received through the site?
Collect the minimum, state the purpose and a retention period, for example 24 months, in line with the spirit of the APPI. Your legal counsel validates the final policy.
Let's talk about your search visibility. We analyze your client and candidate queries in Japanese and English, then propose a verifiable 90-day plan. Request a free quote: diagnosis and proposal within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
