JFA’s 2025 survey: franchise chain sales in Japan rise 4.1% to ¥30.4874 trillion

New statistics shed light on the scale of Japan’s franchise sector. The Japan Franchise Association (JFA), in its Franchise Chain Statistics Survey for the 2025 financial year released on 26 October 2026, reported domestic chain sales of ¥30.4874 trillion, up 4.1% year on year. For businesses considering a franchise, understanding what these figures cover is just as important as noting the overall growth.

Survey covers 1,297 chains and 257,934 outlets

Management consultant Uchikawa discussed the findings in a commentary dated 6 November. He said he had worked on the statistical survey while serving as a department head at the JFA.

According to his commentary, the results for the 2025 financial year were as follows:

• Number of chains: 1,297
• Number of outlets: 257,934
• Sales: ¥30.4874 trillion
• Year-on-year sales growth: 4.1%

Outlet and chain numbers also increased from the previous year. The results offer a view of developments in Japan’s franchise sector through both the expansion of outlet networks and sales at those outlets.

However, the publication year differs from the financial year covered. Although released in October 2026, the figures represent finalised results for the 2025 financial year. They do not directly reflect current expansion plans or trading conditions in the 2026 financial year. When comparing them with current franchise recruitment information, make sure the reporting periods align.

The JFA has conducted this survey annually since 1975. As well as showing market size in a particular year, it provides a basis for comparison with earlier results from the same survey and for assessing longer-term changes.

Sales and outlet totals include company-owned outlets

One particularly important consideration is the scope of the figures. The outlet count combines each chain’s franchised and company-owned outlets, while sales represent the combined sales generated at both types of outlet.

The total of 257,934 outlets therefore cannot be treated as the number of franchised outlets alone. Likewise, the ¥30.4874 trillion figure is not solely franchisee sales, nor is it the combined royalty income or corporate revenue of franchisors.

This distinction also matters when prospective franchisees speak to a franchisor. After reviewing a chain’s total outlet count and sales, asking for a breakdown between company-owned and franchised outlets will give a clearer picture of the scale of the operating model they would be joining.

A 4.1% year-on-year increase in sales is also not the same as an increase in individual franchisees’ profits. These aggregate figures do not reveal changes in customer numbers at existing outlets, average spend, raw material costs, wages or rent. Assessing franchisee profitability requires a review of outlet-level income and expenditure, separate from the chain’s overall growth rate.

The findings are a useful starting point for understanding the scale of the sector, but they do not indicate the returns available from joining a particular brand. Keeping that distinction clear helps avoid reading too much into the statistics.

Non-responding franchisors are excluded, so coverage matters

Uchikawa’s commentary also discusses survey participation. According to his account, the JFA sent questionnaires to more than 3,000 franchisors and compiled information from those that returned them. Responses with incomplete or otherwise deficient information were also excluded.

The published chain count is therefore not a census of every franchisor operating in Japan. It should be read with the understanding that some chains, including those that did not respond, are absent from the totals.

Uchikawa suggests that the actual market is larger than ¥30 trillion once sales from chains outside the survey are taken into account. However, this is an assessment based on the existence of uncounted businesses and should be distinguished from the sales confirmed by the survey. Neither a total including non-respondents nor an estimate of the additional amount was provided.

Checking the scope of responses does not diminish the value of the figures. Clarifying what is and is not included helps establish how they can be used in comparisons and business planning. When citing them in franchise assessment materials, it is appropriate to state both the financial year covered and the fact that company-owned outlets are included.

From cross-sector statistics to individual franchise decisions

Japan’s franchise sector extends beyond convenience stores and foodservice. Uchikawa’s commentary also highlights the use of franchising in beauty, education, care and welfare services, fitness and domestic cleaning.

What connects these varied businesses is a model in which independent local operators run outlets while drawing on a franchisor’s brand, product development, information systems and training. Some franchisees operate multiple outlets, so the survey captures a sector encompassing a wide range of businesses and operating arrangements.

For that reason, rising overall sales do not mean that every business segment or brand is experiencing the same conditions. When comparing franchise opportunities, prospective operators need to narrow their assessment to the target brand’s mix of outlets, the performance of existing locations, conditions in the proposed area and the support provided by the franchisor.

The survey shows that the number of chains, number of outlets and sales within its coverage all rose year on year in the 2025 financial year. A total exceeding ¥30 trillion illustrates the sector’s scale, but that figure alone does not reveal the operating conditions of individual outlets.

Practical takeaway: Use sector-wide statistics as a starting point for understanding the market. Ask franchisors separately about the breakdown between franchised and company-owned outlets, the financial performance of existing outlets and the support they provide. It is essential to distinguish the size of the market from the financial viability of your own proposed outlet.