As metaverse has attracted global attention in recent years, various platforms have emerged. This article introduces five major Japanese metaverse platforms, examines Cluster — which holds a dominant position in Japan — and then compares Korea''s ZEPETO with Cluster. Japan''s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications projected metaverse users to expand from approximately 4.5 million annually in 2022 to approximately 17.5 million in 2023. Yano Research Institute predicted the Japanese metaverse market will exceed 2 trillion yen by 2027, first through corporate adoption then consumer expansion. Japan''s five major metaverse platforms (by user count): Cluster, Reality, Styly, Door, XR Cloud.
Cluster (launched March 2020): Japan''s largest metaverse platform with 600,000+ registered users (as of January 2024); PC and smartphone compatible; virtual events, concerts, and space creation as core features; corporate virtual events and exhibitions actively adopted. ZEPETO (Korea, NAVER Z): 400 million+ global registered users; fashion collaboration with luxury brands (Gucci, Ralph Lauren); strong K-POP fan culture integration (BLACKPINK, BTS virtual events); primarily smartphone-based; avatar customization and virtual fashion as core. Comparison: ZEPETO leads in user scale and global reach; Cluster leads in Japan-specific event and corporate use cases; ZEPETO monetizes through avatar fashion and brand collaboration; Cluster through event hosting fees and virtual goods; ZEPETO targets global youth (K-POP fandom), Cluster targets Japanese adults for professional and cultural events. Key insight: the success of both platforms reflects divergent regional strategies — ZEPETO leverages the global K-culture wave while Cluster leverages Japan''s existing virtual event culture (born from VTuber and online concert ecosystems) to create defensible domestic dominance.
