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Apply to participate in an exclusive matchmaking event and have your company’s promotional materials displayed at the Kawasaki International Eco-Tech Fair 2024.

The EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation is pleased to introduce “Eyes on Japan”, which aims at providing EU technology SMEs with a customized market and industry research report on Japan.

— Latest update: October 2023 — Japanese architects play a prominent role in the global architectural trends, which has been defined by the use of wooden structure, elevated off the ground with tiled or thatched roofs. Japan has been greatly impacted by Chinese, Korean and Western influences, while sticking close to the core culture of Japan. Western influences have seen the introduction of the usage of bricks and stones into its architectural scene. Japan continues to strive to connect with...

— Latest update: October 2023 — Table of Contents Overview Market Japan-Specific Culture Export and Import Exporting Japanese Culture to Europe Exporting European culture to Japan Financial Grants Opportunities Initiatives in Europe Initiatives in Japan Relevant Organizations and Trade Fairs

Article written by Nathalie Cavasin, NC Consulting, Tokyo, Japan – September 2013Japan is preparing to host the 2020 Olympics in the capital of Tokyo. This will help to create new business opportunities here and raise again positively interest in Japan from abroad.

Article written by Nathalie CavasinJapan’s preparations for the 2020 Olympics are now under way. What are the latest developments and trends? Here are some prominent examples: The recent launch of the sports agency run by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) at the beginning of May which will be finalized by this coming October, is a step towards better sports administration and an indication of Japan’s intentions to promote sport in general. To some extent...

Article written by Michio Matsuzaki.Part 1) Branch Office Closure due to withdrawal from the Japanese marketIf a foreign company has set up a branch office in Japan, which has unfortunately been yielding little in terms of sales and profits, it may consider withdrawing from the Japanese market altogether. Another reason a foreign company may consider closing down its branch office in Japan could be that the business has successfully grown, and as a result of this, the company decides to upgrade...

Article written by Philippe Huysveld, CEO & Senior Consultant, GBMC (Global Business & Management Consulting)“Entering a new country-market is very much like a start-up situation, with no sales, no marketing infrastructure in place, and little or no knowledge of the market.” (David Arnold, FT Press)Does my company really need an office? Standalone market entries are done by companies ready to take capital risk and to gain over time the knowledge associated with the new markets, accepting the...

Article written by Philippe Huysveld, CEO & Senior Consultant, GBMC (Global Business & Management Consulting), France - June 2014Guidelines for B2B Marketing in JapanMany export managers have experienced over the years in which way Time, Quality, Reactivity and Service have another dimension or meaning in the Country of the Rising Sun. The interest of Japan Success Stories lays in what they usually showcase, that is, Persistence and Concepts like “Getting to know your Client” or “Adapt and...

Article written by Philippe Huysveld, CEO & Senior Consultant, GBMC (Global Business & Management Consulting), France - March 2014Guidelines for B2C Marketing in JapanMany export managers have experienced over the years the ways Time, Quality, Reactivity and Service have another dimension or meaning in the “Land of the Rising Sun”. The interest of Japanese Success Stories lies in what they usually showcase, that is, Persistence and Concepts such as “Getting to know your Client” or “Adapt and...

Article written by Michio Matsuzaki.I would like to discuss International Joint Ventures (IJVs) in Japan and the aspects of business opportunities and legal procedures in particular. First, let me begin by quoting some of the basics regarding IJV's from the Wikipedia page on IJVs:

Article written by Chieko Nakabayashi, Expert on Japan’s Service Industries, Brussels, Belgium – October 2013Japan’s service industries have grown significantly as part of total economic activities since the 1970s. This does not mean, however, that Japan’s services are replacing manufacturing goods as national outputs. It rather indicates that the relationship between manufacturing and services has become deeply interdependent. At the core, Japan boasts some of the best manufacturers in the...

Article written by Masako Kato, Intercultural management consultant, itim international, Helsinki, FinlandYou all know that Japanese customers have expectations of high quality. But even with your top quality products/services, you may still face some challenges with Japanese customers. Here are some ex­pectations of Japanese customers and tips to cope with them.

Article written by Michio Matsuzaki. In the event that a Foreign Corporation launches a Business in Japan:Representative Office:A representative office is suited to the preparatory stages of a business launch by a foreign company on a small scale in order to study Japanese markets and to plan for business structures etc. in the future. A representative office can be easily set up without registration. A representative office is, however, not permitted to get involved in any of actual sales...

Article written by Lyckle GriekWhat are your opportunities in Japanese Public Procurement?Do the JTPP Quick Scan!Getting to know your market is one of the more difficult issues which you must resolve before venturing into a new overseas market. Basic questions such as “Is there a market for my products?”, ”Who would buy them?” and “Are my prices competitive?” are usually the first that come to mind.Purchases made by Japanese government organisations represent a huge and extremely diverse market...

Article written by Michio Matsuzaki. Part 1) Statutory InterestsThe Civil Code of Japan was first established in 1896 as the basic rule governing civil matters between/among individuals and business entities, which is comprised of five parts, i.e. “General Provisions”, “Real Rights”, “Claims”, “Relatives” and “Inheritance”. As time goes by with the advance of Japan’s society some parts of the law seem no longer sufficiently cover and govern those relevant matters in modern society and the...

Article written by Lyckle Griek, Owner, Japan Unlimited Consultants & Liaisons, Workum, NetherlandsSimilar to Europe, government, business and research institutions in Japan are active in tapping the potential of the so-called ‘Triple Helix’. A large number of networks of ‘San’ (Industry), ‘Gaku’ (Academia) and ‘Kan’ (Gov­ernment) are closely cooperating in order to generate an innovative business-cycle based upon academic research.At the local and regional level, governments and universities...