There are no insurmountable obstacles to trading with Japan. However there are numerous factors, some unique to Japan, that might be considered obstacles, but that can, with appropriate research and subsequent clarification and understanding, be overcome. Consider the following: Language Without widespread use of English in Japan, it should never be presumed a Japanese person can speak English, or is comfortable doing so. It’s sensible to ascertain this beforehand. All usual documentation in Japan is in Japanese. As a consequence, interpreting and translating services may be required at … [Read more...]
Japan for Business Introduction
The following article is taken from the Introduction in my publication Japan for Business. Purpose The purpose of this publication is to assist businesses make their product (or service) available for sale in Japan, or assist them establish a business there. To achieve this objective, knowledge of the market segment targetted is essential, but familiarity with a broad range of topics relating to Japan will also be useful and helpful, if not also essential. This publication cannot provide product or market segment specific assistance, but it does provide information about a wide … [Read more...]
Decision Making in Japan
A critical feature of Japan’s post-war economic renaissance was the way government and business combined to select overseas market segments suitable for Japanese penetration and, bolstered by the support of a closed domestic market of higher prices, work single-mindedly to enter and dominate them. American and European producers of televisions, video cassette recorders, motor bikes and cameras, to name just a few, wilted at the Japanese onslaught of over-production, rapid model change and low prices. Yet on the political side, historically the Japanese government has often been incapable of … [Read more...]
Author’s Note
After making three one-month trips to Japan during an 18-month period in 1989-1991, I moved there in early 1991 to live for an indeterminate period, at the outset expected to be up to one year. This stretched to eight and a half years, including marriage and commencing a family, before we all made Australia our permanent home from early 2000. A number of trips back have taken place since. This document commenced life as a series of one-off articles written during this residency, each article arising either from an everyday occurrence, a conversation, a news item, or a newspaper article. … [Read more...]