Japan Market Entry Experts

Your reliable outsourcing partner in Market-Entry-Japan

JRN is one of the leading Market Entry Japan services group in Tokyo. We help companies who are looking for a reliable outsourcing partner to grow their business in new or existing markets in Japan. For this, we offer a comprehensive package of services that includes organizing and running the entire value chain for any product: from sourcing, research and analysis, marketing, sales, distribution and logistics to after-sales services.

We provide our partners with sound expertise, on-the-ground logistics and tailor-made services based on a comprehensive network of unique size and depth. Business activities are organized into four highly specialized Business Units that mirror our fields of expertise: Consumer Goods (Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Luxury & Lifestyle), Healthcare, Performance Materials, and Technology & Industrial Applications and other areas.

Exporting to Japan or East Asia? Start here to expand ...

We offer comprehensive and customizable Market-Entry-Japan services along the entire value chain, from sourcing to after-sales services, taking care of our business partners’ products as if they were our own. Our business activities are organised into highly specialised Business Units that mirror our fields of expertise. We help western manufacturers & brands grow in Japan. We offer direction. Bright ideas guide us — they are the lifeblood of our business. And we take pride in crafting and shaping the brightest ideas into value and increasing sales for our clients in Japan. Our bi-lingual and bi-cultural team guides and supports foreign companies in Japan in the areas of:

1. Market Analysis & Industry Research
2. Marketing Strategy & Branding Concept
3. Sales Partner Search & Negotiations & Deal-Closure
4. Sales Optimisation & Channel Realignment
5. E-commerce & Website development & Translations
6. Market Tours & Industry Insights
7. Branch/ store Set-up
8. Direct Sales
• HR Recruiting & Executive Search
• interim/ turn-around management
• firm representation & PR management

Japan Market Entry - Workflow

A. Developing Your Japan Business Plan
We can help you develop your plan at both strategic and tactical levels, and to set realistic but challenging goals and expectations. We can advise on the levels of investment and commitment required to succeed, and the timescales required.

B. Implementation of Your Japan Business
Our team have experience of setting up and running operations in Japan, covering all skills such as Sales, Marketing, Tech Support, Admin, HR and of course Management. We are familiar with working to tight budgets and deadlines, and we have several cost effective solutions for our clients such as setting up ‘virtual offices’ and shared resources.

C. Japan Representation – Giving You Local Presence
We commit dedicated staff, on the ground in Japan to work for you on a day to day basis. Building relationships, developing sales and dealing with enquiries, In the same time zone, same language and same culture.

D. Ongoing Support in Japan
We develop long term partnerships with our clients and provide ongoing support and management advice, to ensure relationships with customers are successfully maintained.

Working with JRN - Market Entry Japan specialists means to ...

Approach Japan efficiently

JRN quickly and instantly identifies the right
sales channels for your products in Japan

Increase Japan exports

Get access to all Japanese importers, distributors and retail chains to increase your Japan sales

Save time selling to Japan

JRN understands to work on low budgets,
strict time lines, and clear targets

Why do I need support? Japan is just another market ...

Are you sure? It's definitely not! The differences in Western and Japanese business culture and customs are not minor. There are many major foreign companies and brands that failed in Japan and had to pull out of the market simply because of not paying attention to this -- just to name a few: Merrill Lynch, eBay, Burger King, Wendy's, Pret A Manger's, Motorola, Nokia, Vodafone, Carrefour, Boots, Johnson & Johnson, EA (Electronic Arts), Target, Ikea (in the 70s), Hyundai, DELL, and many more. So, you better work with local ground support and experts when entering or restructuring your business in Japan. Start with JRN - Contact us

Did you know all of this in the videos below? Then you've been to Japan for probably more often than just a few visits ...

What strikes the Japanese buying impulse? See Japan TV ads here >>

Briefing - Business etiquette in Japan

Business etiquette and practices are important in Japan. The Japanese are extremely polite and place importance on respect and social rank. You will be showered with elaborate compliments while your host remains humble and plays down their achievements. Foreigners who show modesty will be well regarded by Japanese people.

While business meetings during the day can seem to be slow and often skirting key issues, night time drinking and dinners are often the time when more useful information is fed back to you. The Japanese equate being indirect with being polite. Thus being indirect, such as starting a business meeting with ‘small talk’ will help to get the meeting off to a good start. Foreigners can misunderstand this indirectness and interpret it as indecisiveness or non-commitment from the Japanese side. In these situations, it pays to be patient.
English is not widely spoken in business and government, with some exceptions, such as in trading companies. If a meeting is conducted in English, be sure to speak slowly and clearly, and do not use foreign idiomatic expressions or humour. Meetings in English are rare and an interpreter is generally required.
Punctuality is a must in Japan. It is usual to arrive at a meeting at least five minutes before the appointed time. In the event that you are running late, it is polite to call ahead to advise of when approximately you will be arriving. All appointments should be arranged with companies prior to your arrival in Japan.
Partners - it is inappropriate to take friends, spouses, or children to business meetings in Japan. It is also not common for spouses to be invited out for business dinners.
Product brochures and a company profile should be taken with you when you visit a Japanese company for the first time.
Business cards are handled in both hands and laid carefully on the table. You will need to bring at least 100 business cards with you to Japan. Business meetings invariably begin with the exchange of business cards. Don't place the card in your pocket or write on it. If time allows, have your business cards printed with your company name and name in Japanese. Don't have your business address translated to Japanese as this renders it meaningless.
Seating arrangements is used in formal business meetings. The most important guest sits furthest from the door and the host sits closest to the door. If in doubt, wait to be seated or ask where you should sit.
Gifts are not necessary and it is inappropriate to offer expensive gifts, particularly on first meetings. Small gifts, such as company pens, or something small, typical and traditional for the region you come from, etc. can be presented, preferably once business is ready to commence or has commenced. It is generally considered impolite to open gifts in front of the giver.
Resolving conflict – Japanese people also try hard to avoid open conflict and so may answer ambiguously or even agree to an offer that they have no intention of accepting. One productive way of solving this problem is to prepare a brief but clear memo describing the situation and obligations of both parties and present it to the Japanese side as a record of the meeting. This will test the Japanese side’s position on the issue as they will be forced to respond.