PRTimes

What PRTimes does

PR TIMES Corporation (株式会社PR TIMES) is Japan's leading press release distribution service, operating under ticker 3922 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and headquartered in Tokyo. The company runs a self-service, web-based platform (prtimes.jp / prtimes.com) where corporate customers submit, distribute, and track press releases to media contacts and consumers via email delivery, with supporting tools for media list management, press kit sharing, and post-distribution analytics. As of February 2026 the platform serves 120,000+ companies, including more than 65% of Japan's domestic listed companies, and holds the No.1 domestic market share among Japan's five major press release distribution services — a position it has held since launching the service in 2007.

The platform is built on a PHP/Laravel backend with React frontend components, and is extended through a portfolio of adjacent products: PR TIMES TV (video content), PR TIMES STORY (narrative corporate content), PR TIMES MAGAZINE (owned media for PR knowledge), PR TIMES LIVE (live streaming), and a developer blog maintained by engineering staff. The company also operates related software products Tayori (customer support/inquiry management) and Jooto (task and project management), giving it a broader SaaS footprint beyond press release distribution. The current technology focus visible from the developer blog is conventional at-scale platform engineering — email deliverability, linting tooling migration, infrastructure, and frontend modernization — rather than AI-native systems.

PR TIMES generates revenue through tiered subscription and usage-based pricing for its press release distribution service, with monthly billing and dedicated enterprise direct sales for larger corporate clients. Distribution is primarily domestic Japan, though the company is in the middle of a phased migration of its primary domain from prtimes.jp to prtimes.com during 2026, which signals a strategic repositioning toward a globally-standardized brand. Go-to-market combines self-serve web onboarding for SMBs and startups with enterprise sales for listed companies, supported by content marketing via PR TIMES MAGAZINE and an active developer-relations program of conference sponsorships and an annual student hackathon.

Name

PRTimes

Legal name

株式会社PR TIMES

Website

https://prtimes.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PR TIMES Corporation (TSE: 3922) operates Japan's No.1 press release distribution service, serving 120,000+ companies including 65%+ of domestic listed companies via a subscription-based self-serve platform with media list, analytics, and video/narrative sub-products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Press Release Distribution Platform

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182), Public Relations Agencies (541820)

SIC

Services-Direct Mail Advertising Services (7331)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Media Relations & Press Office Services (MPAAADAI)

Keywords

• Press release distribution
• News release service
• Media outreach platform
• Corporate communications
• PR distribution platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Press Release Distribution Service: PR Times generates revenue through subscription-based and usage-based pricing for its press release distribution service. Companies pay to distribute press releases to media contacts and consumers through the platform. The service offers tiered plans with varying features and distribution capabilities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PR Times operates Japan's leading press release distribution platform that enables companies to submit, distribute, and track press releases to media contacts and consumers. The service supports email delivery, media list management, press kit sharing, distribution analytics, and web clipping, and is sold primarily through tiered subscription plans plus enterprise-level offerings. It is complemented by sub-products including PR TIMES TV (video distribution), PR TIMES STORY (narrative storytelling), and PR TIMES MAGAZINE (PR knowledge media).

Product overview

PR TIMES operates as a comprehensive press release distribution platform offering multiple integrated products and services. The core product is the PR TIMES press release distribution service, complemented by video content platform (PR TIMES TV), storytelling feature (PR TIMES STORY), and an owned media magazine for PR knowledge (PR TIMES MAGAZINE). Supporting features include web clipping, press kit sharing, media list management, distribution analytics, and live streaming capabilities (PR TIMES LIVE). The platform is supported by a developer blog and utilizes additional PR TIMES-operated tools including task management (Jooto) and customer support (Tayori).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PR TIMES MAGAZINE: A web media platform publishing knowledge and expertise about PR and communications for PR practitioners
• PR TIMES TV
• PR TIMES STORY
• PR TIMES 開発者ブログ

Products and services

• PR TIMES (Press Release Distribution Service) Japan's No.1 press release and news release distribution service, connecting companies with media (journalists) and consumers. Started in 2007 and used by over 120,000 companies including 65%+ of listed Japanese companies as of February 2026.
• PR TIMES TV Video content platform providing press release-related video content and live streaming capabilities for PR activities.
• PR TIMES STORY Storytelling platform enabling narrative-based PR content for companies.
• PR TIMES MAGAZINE Web media publishing PR and communications knowledge, featuring articles on press release best practices, industry trends, case studies, and PR skill development for PR professionals.
• Tayori Customer support tool operated by PR TIMES, used for inquiry management and form collection.
• Jooto Project and task management tool recommended by PR TIMES for team project management and scheduling.

Quantifiable outcome

• No. 1 domestic market share in press release distribution services

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• PHP Conference JapanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPR Times sponsors PHP Conference Japan 2026 as a Gold sponsor. Engineers from PR Times also give presentations at the conference. The conference covers PHP latest trends, core technology topics, and beginner sessions.
• Frontend PHP Conference HokkaidominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPR Times sponsors Frontend PHP Conference Hokkaido 2026 as a Platinum sponsor. This joint conference for web frontend and PHP engineers is held at Sapporo Convention Center with approximately 200 attendees.
• Frontend Conference NagoyaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPR Times sponsors Frontend Conference Nagoya 2026 with booth exhibition and LT presentations. First-time event in Nagoya with 140+ offline attendees.
• PHP Conference KagawaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPR Times sponsors PHP Conference Kagawa 2026 and has engineers presenting at the conference focused on PHP development and team culture.
• Laravel Live JapanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPR Times sponsors Laravel Live Japan, the first Laravel official conference in Japan, with engineers presenting on Laravel and PHP topics.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cision / PR Newswire: Cision/PR Newswire is the largest global press release distribution service, with operations across multiple geographies. Directly comparable to PR TIMES in core press release wire functionality but operates at global scale versus PR TIMES' Japan focus.
• GlobeNewswire: GlobeNewswire (part of Notified) is an international press release distribution platform. Comparable to PR TIMES in wire distribution functionality, with a broader geographic footprint and regulatory disclosure specialization.
• Business Wire: Business Wire (a Berkshire Hathaway company) is a global press release distribution service serving corporations and IR/PR teams. Comparable to PR TIMES as a wire distribution platform, but with deeper international media reach and an enterprise focus.

Regional players

• Jiji Press: Jiji Press is a major Japanese news and information wire service. Comparable as a Japan-focused media distribution network that competes for the same enterprise PR communications budget as PR TIMES.

Direct peers

• atPress: atPress is a Japanese press release distribution service targeting startups and SMBs. Most directly comparable domestic competitor to PR TIMES, though typically positioned as a lower-priced alternative for smaller companies.
• 共同通信PRワイヤー (Kyodo News PR Wire): Kyodo PR Wire, operated by Kyodo News, distributes press releases to Japanese media outlets. Direct domestic competitor with strong relationships to traditional Japanese news media, contrasting with PR TIMES' broader digital distribution model.
• ValuePress: ValuePress is another major Japanese press release distribution service. Direct competitor to PR TIMES within the domestic market, particularly in the SMB and regional announcement segment.

Emerging players

• PR TIMES Asia / Korea / Global expansion peers: Emerging regional press release distribution platforms in Asia (e.g., ACN Newswire, OpenPR, Marketech) compete for cross-border PR distribution. Comparable to PR TIMES as they target Asia-Pacific enterprises seeking press release wire services.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PRTIMESMAG
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrJHv9zSnTsF5xyFRgFKI7Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/PRTIMES
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prtimes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PRTimes