People often ask, “Why does it take so long for Japanese enterprises to make a decision?” or “Who’s making the final call?” If you don’t understand the process, your proposal could sit unapproved indefinitely. In Japanese enterprises, decision-making is less about a top-down directive and more about open discussions involving everyone from general staff to directors. This is known as the gōgi system, a consensus-based decision-making process. Why Does Everyone Need to Agree? The...
When doing business in Japan, understanding how decisions are made and how organizations are structured is essential for success. Japanese companies tend to operate with a strong emphasis on hierarchy, consensus-building, and involving multiple departments in decision-making. In the second video from our YouTube series with Japanese B2B sales and strategy expert Horita, we explore the unique characteristics of Japanese corporate structures — including the roles of various stakeholders, the challenges of siloed departments,...
How much would you pay to get into a room with the right people in Japan? ¥10,000 or more? In a market where relationships still outrank resumes and cold emails often go unopened, attending curated networking events is less a luxury and more a necessary business function. But why pay at all? With countless free events on platforms like Lu.ma or Meetup, you might wonder why pay for access at all. Let’s think of...
The Osaka Expo 2025 is more than just a global event — it’s a powerful platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to tap into new growth opportunities in Japan and across Asia. For internationally minded businesses already established overseas or in Japan, the Expo offers a chance to accelerate expansion, forge strategic partnerships, and uncover hidden business opportunities. A Zombie Market Ready for Revitalization While Japan is renowned for its global giants, SMEs...
In Japan, the business card or meishi is more than just a tool for sharing contact information—it is a symbol of respect, professionalism, and a key part of building relationships. While the business card culture may be less popular abroad, in Japan, having a stack of business cards in your card case is still very much expected. If you are aiming to establish connections with Japanese companies as part of your market entry strategy,...
This week, YOUNEEDS Co., Ltd. (“YOUNEEDS”) attended COSME Week 2025 in Tokyo. Many brands of all sizes attended, including foreign brands. Cosmetics are an attractive industry in Japan. As such, we thought it might be helpful to highlight an essential piece of advice for cosmetics brands on their Japan market entry journey. Unique Regulatory Landscape If your company is planning to enter the Japanese market as a foreign cosmetic brand, it is crucial to...
Japan’s public transport system is globally recognized for its efficiency, punctuality, and extensive coverage. With the original Tōkaidō Shinkansen (bullet train) celebrating its 60th anniversary, it is worth exploring how businesses can benefit from this world-class infrastructure. Whether you are visiting for a short-term project or establishing long-term operations, Japan’s transport system offers significant advantages for business travel, operations, and logistics. Unrivalled Punctuality and Reliability Punctuality is a hallmark of Japanese public transport. Trains...
Tokyo has firmly established itself as the top business city globally, seamlessly combining tradition and innovation to create a unique ecosystem that attracts businesses from around the world. As Japan’s economic and cultural heart, Tokyo offers unmatched innovation, a thriving economy, and international connectivity, supported by its excellent location, world-class infrastructure, a highly skilled workforce, and a forward-thinking approach to sustainability. These qualities make it a magnet for both Japanese and international companies looking...
When attempting to expand into an overseas market such as Japan, finding friendly communities where business leaders can connect with others can be a challenge. In this blog post, we introduce three networking organizations commonly joined by Japanese business leaders. These organizations and the connections they provide, could be useful for business leaders looking to find community as their company enters the Japanese market. BNI Japan: An Organization For International Networking Business Network International...
Forget about marketing your product’s Unique Selling Point. From now on, it’s all about your customer’s own Unique Buying Reason. We have all heard of motivation. Motivation helps us get up in the morning, move our tasks forward and make the most of the resources we have. You are probably also aware that motivation can be intrinsic or extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is often seen as more authentic, coming from a deep reason such as...
