Japan Entry Plan.
Before any larger commitment, start with a scoped market study and go-to-market deck. We map the market, shortlist the partners worth your time, and hand you a phased, costed roadmap — walked through with you, and yours to keep either way.
At a glance
- Duration
- 2–3 weeks
- Pricing
- Fixed scope, fixed fee
- You keep
- The deck and the roadmap
- Next step
- Optional — no lock-in
Six things on the table at the end of week three.
Every item is specific to your brand, your margins and your category — not a generic market report.
- 01
Market & competitor study
Who already sells your category in Japan, at what price, through which channel — and where the gap is that your brand can occupy.
- 02
Partner shortlist
Named, qualified distributors, importers and retail candidates, with our read on which are realistic for your size, margin and volumes.
- 03
Positioning & pricing read
How your story translates into real Japanese, what the market will pay, and how landed cost, duty and channel margin shape your shelf price.
- 04
Phased, costed roadmap
A sequenced plan with what happens first, what it costs, and what has to be true before you spend more.
- 05
Operating basics
The entity, import, labelling and payment realities that decide whether a launch is straightforward or expensive.
- 06
A readout, not a PDF drop
We walk you and your team through the plan, argue the trade-offs, and leave you with the deck.
Three weeks, then a decision you can make with numbers.
Week 1
Goals & baseline
Your ambition for Japan, your margins, the range you would lead with, and what your brand actually means outside your home market.
Weeks 1–2
The plan
Target distributors and retail, the store and story, the channel model, and the operating basics.
Weeks 2–3
Roadmap & readout
A phased, costed roadmap for a sustained presence — presented and argued with you, then handed over.
A low-risk way to judge our read of your market — and our work — before any larger commitment.
If you decide to run Japan with someone else, or not at all, you keep the plan.
No open-ended meter.
We agree the scope and the fee on a short call before anything starts.
The Entry Plan
Fixed and scoped
One fee, agreed up front. You know exactly what you get and when — and you can stop after the readout.
If you continue with us
Monthly retainer
For the team and the operations we run for you in Japan.
Commission on sales
On the sales we develop, so our incentives match yours.
Japan exclusivity — optional
Scoped by category and term, when it makes sense for both sides.
Not ready for a paid engagement?
Start free with the Japan Market Readiness Scorecard.
An honest read on how ready your business is for Japan, in a few minutes. Most companies start there, then move to the Entry Plan.
Tell us what you are trying to do in Japan, and we will tell you honestly whether a plan is worth it.