Japan is a highly developed country with a population of about 130 million. With its strong purchasing power, it is also relatively digital, with high credit card and smartphone penetration.
This makes Japan one of the most developed Asian countries for cross-border e-commerce sales.
Despite this, most European and American small business owners only focus on the local market, and do not seize the opportunity to export to countries such as Japan.
One obstacle holding back many foreign business owners from exporting to Japan: They don’t know how to find Japanese customers.
In the following sections, I will provide information on how to find Japanese customers
Trade fair
Japan has no shortage of trade fairs where you can find trade shows for everything from fashion and clothing to LED lights and high-tech robots.
Most trade shows are held in Tokyo. Let me introduce the two largest trade shows that take place every year.
Nepcon – Asia’s largest electronics show
Nepcon is Asia’s largest electronics trade show. The exhibition has expanded rapidly since its inception in 1972, covering a wide range of product areas.
The show is often referred to as the “Asian Electronics Industry Showcase” and is well attended. Visitors are mainly Koreans, Taiwanese and Chinese. If you plan to expand in any of these countries in the future, take the opportunity and grow your network!
How to reach Nepcon
You can fly to one of the main airports in Tokyo’s Greater Area, Haneda airport or Narita airport.
If you arrive at Haneda airport, you won’t need more than 20-30 minutes to reach the exhibition (Tokyo Big Sight) and it costs you roughly 6,500 Yen to go by cab.
Going from Narita airport, on the other hand, takes a little longer, around 80 minutes, and costs around 18,000 Yen.
Going by train is a considerable alternative (the public transport system is best-in-class and very convenient). The ticket price is almost negligible and around 500-1000 Yen.
You will need around 40 minutes to go from Haneda airport and 60 minutes from Narita airport.
Fashion Goods and Accessories Expo
You should definitely have a look at the Fashion Goods and Accessories Expo, if you have a fashion company. It’s one of Japan’s leading fashion trade fairs and that attract exhibitors for all kinds of products such as:
- Bags
- Jewellery
- Hats
- Shoes
- Belts
- Scarves
- Leg wear
Find a Japanese Distributor
I often advise small business owners to look for distributors who export to Asian markets such as Japan.
There are many benefits to hiring a dealer. They can help you with customs clearance, quality regulations, filing documents, and customizing your products for the markets you plan to enter.
However, you should not assume that all resellers are capable of helping you sell and market your particular product.
You may have problems finding a dealer, and let’s be honest, it’s not always easy. There are five common ways to find a distributor: on the Internet, at a trade show, with the help of a third party, through personal contact or by analyzing competitors.
You can verify a dealer’s credibility and competence through references, testimonials, questions, or by visiting the dealer in person.
Building good relationships with business partners is an important part of Asian culture. I recommend visiting the dealership in person, and once you’ve identified the problem, you can reach out via email and phone.
Before you start looking for a dealer, be aware of the following facts:
Find a distributor who is familiar with the Japanese market and your product. Resellers should have enough experience and preferably sell the same or at least similar products.
If you visit the dealer in person or have a third party visit, you can verify the dealer’s trustworthiness. Prepare your visit thoroughly and bring a list of questions. You will be able to learn more about their business experience and history. Squeeze out as much information as possible.
Ask the dealer to produce a list of other companies with whom they are currently or have previously worked.
Set a minimum sales limit in the contract to avoid the risk of poor sales performance by the dealer.
Protect your trademark and include all necessities in the final contract. And register your trademark in Japan!
Register your trademark in Japan
Overseas and Japanese companies follow the same procedures and conditions when registering a trademark.
If you plan to export to Japan in the future, there is no obstacle to registering your trademark now. However, if the mark is not used within three years, the registration will be revoked.
Remember that Japan has a first-to-file rule (same as China). Trademark rights belong to the company that first registered the mark. Therefore, it is very important to register a trademark in Japan before starting to export.
The trademark registration process can be quite time-consuming and complicated. If you doubt your ability to manage the process on your own, it may be a good idea to hire a lawyer or representative. It is worth noting that a dealer can help you with trademark registration.
Trademark registration process and fees
The entire application and review process generally takes about 7-8 months. If there is no problem in the inspection process, the time can be shortened to 3 months.
Japan follows the same international trademark registration system as other countries, with 45 service and product categories. You can find the application and examination fees on the JETRO website.
Application fee
Trademark registration fee for one product category is 12,000 yen
If you add more product categories, you must pay 12,000 yen for the first product category and 8,600 yen for each product category added (also known as registering a trademark in “multiple categories”)
Other fees (for example, when you hire a patent attorney or representative)
Registration fee
A payment of 36,000 yen is required for each registered trademark and class.
Renewal fee
You need to renew your trademark registration every ten years. The renewal fee is 48,500 yen per product category and trademark.
Japanese Certification Standard
Your product needs to comply with the standards and regulations used in Japan.
Japan’s certification mark is called JIS (Japanese Industrial Standardization), which is mandatory for many products. Any of the following product categories may require the JIS mark:
- Electronic product.
- Auto parts.
- Textile.
- Ceramics.
- Medical equipment.
For more information, please click the link above “Japan Certification Mark”. You will be redirected to jisc’s website.
Application Process and Related Fees
The application process for the JIS mark is as follows:
- Submit application.
- Applications are accepted/not accepted.
- If the application is accepted, you must send product samples. In addition, factories are subject to audits.
- A decision will be made based on the above results.
- authentication protocol.
- Issuance of certificates.
- Monitoring/maintenance (temporary monitoring, such as changes in JIS standards).
- Proceed to authentication.
You must pay the following fees:
- Application process.
- Factory audit.
- Product sample testing.
- Sample fee.
- Certification fees.
Shipping products to Japan
FCL shipping (full container shipment)
FCL is used for bulk shipments. FCL shipping is the cheapest option for exporters and is recommended if you can fill a 20″ or 40″ container.
LCL transportation (less than container loading on board)
LCL shipping is available for shipments that do not fit in a 20″ or 40″ container. This shipping option is best if you cannot use a full container due to its small size, or if the weight or volume is not compatible with air freight.
LCL shipping has both advantages and disadvantages. You need to share container space with other exporters, which can be risky from a quality and time point of view.
You must prepare strong and safe packaging that is protected from mold, liquids, and heavy shocks. Keep in mind that other exporters may face customs issues. You can lose a lot of time if your items are in the same container shipment.
Latest regulatory situation
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida passed a decree on May 16 banning the production and sale of magnetic toys that do not meet international standards and magnetic beads that swell when saturated. These toys are considered “stealth time bombs” capable of causing serious accidents when adults are not paying attention.
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry plans to revise relevant regulations from the 19th to control toys that do not meet the prohibited standards such as size and magnetism.
The expansion of saturated water beads can be seen in this photo provided by the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation.
Strong magnetic toys with a size of 3 to 5 mm are sold in large quantities. These toys come in small balls and cubes that can be glued together to form various shapes. At the same time, the beads that swell when absorbing water can expand from several times to dozens of times their original diameter.
These toys pose serious risks if swallowed. This magnetic toy can clip onto human organs and rip holes. The swollen globules can get stuck in the bowel, causing a blockage. According to the Consumer Safety Inquiry Commission, between 2017 and 2022, 11 cases of accidental ingestion of magnetic toys by children were reported. In 2021, a 1-year-old child required surgery after ingesting a large amount of absorbent beads with a distended abdomen.
According to the “Consumer Product Safety Law”, the Japanese government decree defines products that may pose potential dangers to consumers’ life or physical health as “specific products”, and such products that do not meet the standards are not allowed to display METI’s product safety (PS ) mark, and sales are prohibited. Among the 10 products currently specified in the bill, including cribs, magnetic toys and absorbent beads, regulatory requirements will be added.
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