Clubhouse, the invite-only drop-in conversation app attracting Silicon Valley leaders in the U.S., has jumped the pond to become a hit in Japan where company heads, celebrity musicians and politicians have embraced the latest social-media phenomenon. Even SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son has an account.
The iPhone-only app topped the country’s download charts with more than 440,000 new installs last week, according to Sensor Tower data. The first week of February has also seen it sweep across the wider Asia region, with China enjoying a short-lived romance with the audio-only service before it was swiftly blocked after users started discussing politically sensitive topics.
In Japan, as elsewhere, the appeal of Clubhouse has largely been local. Chart-topping hip-hop producer and DJ Taku Takahashi has moderated experimental jam sessions for audiences topping 1,500 listeners. Comedian Naomi Watanabe has more than 383,000 followers. Takumi Kawahara, the husband and executive producer of tidiness guru Marie Kondo, is a regular. Public health expert Dr. Takahiro Kinoshita hosts a morning show with virologists and answers audience questions. And regulatory reform and vaccine minister Taro Kono recently participated in a chat with more than 1,800 listeners.