TOKYO -- As more people use chat and messaging apps to communicate with one another, Japanese food and beverage makers are increasingly turning to social network Line as a new and effective marketing tool to broaden their reach to consumers.

Line, a free call and online message app provided by the eponymous Tokyo-based company, has some 400 million registered users around the world. In Japan, it has become an essential communication tool for many; approximately 30 million people use it on a daily basis.