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.
Identify whether demand or delivery evidence is missing
Editorial working method, not an additional eligibility or fee promise. Check current official requirements for your entity, product and location.
| Current evidence | Task now | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Views, likes or enquiries only | Record purchase reasons and price/delivery feedback for one use case | Neither willingness to pay nor whole-market demand |
| Purchase intent, no delivery yet | Limit SKUs, channel, quantity and quote validity; assign responsibilities | Intent does not establish eligibility or fulfilment |
| Small completed sales | Review sales, issues, returns and actual costs | One use case does not cover every audience |
Records needed before a limited trial
| Record | Evidence method | If it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase reason | Comparable products, audience feedback and copy revision | Adjust the use case or message and retest |
| Responsibility chain | Who sells, imports, receives payment, delivers and handles returns | Confirm missing roles and pause |
| Operating outcome | Sales, delivery issues, costs and support for the same batch | Diagnose actual failures rather than relying on visits |
Run a reviewable check
- Choose one audience, use case and controlled SKU set.
- Separate enquiry, purchase intent and payment in comparable feedback.
- Confirm responsibilities and quotes; set a quantity cap and stop conditions.
- Review delivered outcomes and costs; record proceed, adjust or pause.
Decision questions
Does completed translation mean a trial is ready?
Check the use case, product revision, price, delivery wording, responsibilities and necessary conditions together.
Do more visits justify more initial stock?
Check matching paid orders, delivery and costs against the quantity cap and stop conditions first.
Official source directory
The steps above are editorial working methods. Verify eligibility and changing rules for your own product and operating location.