Who this is for
Teams with a product preparing to test demand from Japanese customers. Define one use case and one customer segment before treating a country as a market.
Define a purchase reason
Compare products serving the same need: specifications, pricing basis, delivery promises and support. Write a proposition around a difference a buyer can verify. Ask someone familiar with the audience to review it. Record interest separately from willingness to pay.
Choose an entry route
Compare cross-border shipping, local partnerships and a local operating presence. Assign the seller, importer, payment recipient and returns owner for each. Resolve unanswered responsibilities with the relevant platform, logistics provider or adviser. JETRO’s investment portal is a source directory for establishing a business, not a product-specific compliance check.
Pilot deliverables
Use a pilot sheet with product version, channel, quantity cap, quote validity, delivery promise, owner and stop conditions. Walk through an order, a support exception and a return before launch. Review sales, problem types and actual fulfilment costs together; visits alone are not a business outcome.
Official source directory
The steps above are editorial working methods. Verify eligibility and changing rules for your own product and operating location.