AKQA restructures in Japan under Itochu JV

WPP's technology and design-led agency, AKQA is deepening its relationship with Japanese-based multinational conglomerate client Itochu Corp, fully merging their joint venture with AKQA Tokyo. 

As part of the arrangement, AKQA Tokyo will be dissolved as a legal entity and the consolidated organisation will be known as AKQA Japan. Itochu retains its role as strategic partner in supporting growth, scale, and market access in Japan while AKQA retains control of its Japan operations and creative direction.

Itochu and AKQA have been collaborating on global digital transformation and creative brand experience work for the past five years. In 2022, they formed a joint venture known as AKQA uka, combining AKQA’s global design and innovation expertise with Itochu’s market knowledge and corporate network.

The two partners say the newly-combined entity, with a team of more than 50 people, elevates the services and scale available to clients with a full end-to-end model spanning creativity, design, intelligent production and emerging technologies. Much like integrated creative marketing consultances, the new entity is aimed helping businesses transform and find value through new models for growth and brand experience. The aim is to serve both domestic brands and global organisations entering the Japanese market.

“Customers today expect experiences that seamlessly blend creativity, utility, and emotion. Delivering on this requires a sophisticated integration of design, technology, and strategy," said Masato Horiuchi, Itochu executive officer and chief operating officer of its ICT Division. "This is the driving force behind the evolution of our partnership with AKQA. By merging Itochu’s deep market insight with AKQA's global leadership in creativity and design, the unified AKQA is uniquely positioned to help businesses navigate this change."

Itochu is a 160-year old Japanese-based conglomerate founded as a linen trader in 1858 and has since expanded its global trading operations from textiles to machinery, metals, minerals, energy, chemicals, food, general products, realty, IT, finance and more with 90 bases in 61 countries. 

In response to Campaign's question about leadership, an AKQA spokesperson said it will be by the existing leadership team, with continuity from AKQA uka’s leadership, but names were not provided. In a release, the companies did note this announcement follows the recent appointment of Atsushi Okahashi as AKQA’s executive strategy director in Tokyo. 

Added AKQA global CEO, Baiju Shah: “Japan is home to some of the world’s most inspiring design, craftsmanship and ingenuity. As AI continues to reshape how organisations operate and compete, the real opportunity lies in how it is guided by imagination, craft and cultural understanding. This venture allows us to bring these elements together with precision, helping brands move beyond optimisation and towards the creation of new sources of growth."

Editor's note: This story has been updated on December 19, 2025 from its initial version published on December 18 entitled 'AKQA and Itochu deepen their Japan partnership' with additional information on AKQA Tokyo's legal status, the entity's new name, and details on the involvement of each partner.