The SaaS Market in Japan: Overview and Opportunities

6 July 20216 July 2021

By Pujya Dass

SaaS Market in Japan — Source: Shutterstock

Japan is a notoriously difficult market to crack. Even many successful, established businesses entering Japan from overseas do not bother to tailor their marketing and product or service appropriately to suit Japanese audiences. This applies to the Software as a Service (SaaS) industry just as much as any other. The SaaS market in Japan is bigger than the other SaaS markets in Asia. If you invest a proper amount of time and effort, you can find many amazing opportunities generated by underserved audiences.

Industries

Ways to Break into Japan’s Organic Market

23 June 202123 June 2021

By Melissa Francis

Since 2008, growth in Japan’s organic market has been marginal. Still, overall Japanese consumer awareness of organic as a concept is on the rise, along with other categories like free-from, natural, and vegan. Supermarkets like AEON have been increasing their line-up of organic and natural products in order to meet the growing demand, including everyday staples like rice, miso and tea.

Japan also has few organic exports to other countries, with what is produced being consumed domestically. Australia, the US and Europe are some of the key international markets exporting their organic goods to Japan. Because Japanese consumers are still learning about the benefits of organic and what sets it apart, there is significant room for development over the next few years.

Guest Articles

Guest Article: Designing for Export to Japan

15 June 202123 June 2021

By David Tonge @ The Division

Designing for Export to Japan

In the light of Brexit, many UK based companies are exploring Japan as a potential export market.

I have been working inside and outside of Japan for over 25 years. With my design company The Division and our Tokyo partners we help companies to navigate, design and communicate better for the Japanese market. And conversely help Japanese companies to export their unique Japanese identity to overseas markets.

Our work covers a broad spectrum including the design of consumer electronics, automotive and health and beauty products. Our clients include Brother, Dell, Denso, Kohler, Nissan, Panasonic, Shark, Shiseido, Sunstar, Toto and Zojirushi among many others. Our work for these brands has been successful from a business viewpoint as well as winning many coveted global design awards.

Interviews

4 Quick Insights from a PR Expert in Japan: ShapeWin Corporation

2 June 202117 June 2021

We recently chatted with a PR expert in Japan, Mr. Yusuke Kamimura from PR & digital marketing agency ShapeWin Corporation. He delivered some key insights for businesses looking to promote themselves in the Japanese market. Here, we have condensed them down into 4 quick tips.

Introduction message from Mr. Yusuke Kamimura:

“My name is Yusuke Kamimura. I am the President of ShapeWin, which is a PR & digital marketing agency based in Tokyo, Japan. In 2007, I graduated from Tokuyama National College of Technology and majored in computer science and electronics.

I later joined SEGA TOYS as a marketing executive and product producer. In this role, I was involved in marketing toy products and appliances using popular children icons such as Doraemon, Anpanman, and Disney characters.

In 2011, I decided to go independent, and I founded ShapeWin Corporation. My vision is to provide marketing strategy & PR, and sales support for various startups across Japan and abroad.

Over the past 10 years, ShapeWin has successfully supported the development and promoted numerous startups from their beginnings all the way to IPO launch.”

Interviews

Interview with Sandy Tung: Urban Mobility, Innovation, and Smart Cities Expert in London

11 May 202111 May 2021

We sat down with Sandy Tung, Technology & Innovation Lead at Greater London Authority (GLA) to discuss developments, opportunities, and trends in London’s smart city space, as the government looks at ways to promote improved urban mobility and develop smart cities further.

Smart Cities Expert in London — Photo courtesy of Sandy Tung

Marketing

Japanese Department Stores and Opportunities in the Luxury Pre-packaged Food Sector

20 April 202120 April 2021

By Maxim Tvorun-Dunn

Japanese Department Stores, or depaato have been a staple of modern Japanese consumer luxury retail and a spectacle in marketing and architecture since the 1920s. While being a key facet of urban life amongst turn-of-the-century modernity, department stores globally have found uncertainty in the digital age, hastened by recent pandemic events.

Marketing

What’s a Powerful Strategy for Marketing Sustainability in Japan Post-Covid?

6 April 20217 April 2021

By Maxim Tvorun-Dunn

As the current pandemic continues to restructure how we consume media and which methods are working best for marketers, this article examines how Japanese companies have attempted to adapt their communications around the climate crisis in this ever-changing environment, and highlight how they’re responding to the issue of sustainability in Japan.

Sustainability in Japan UNIQLO Life Wear — Source: Shutterstock

Industries

Trends and Opportunities in Japan’s Tea Sector 2021

30 March 202130 March 2021

By Maxim Tvorun-Dunn

In this article, we outline the trends and opportunities that exist in the global tea industry, honing in more specifically on Japan’s tea sector.

Japan's Tea Sector RTD Green Tea — Bottled RTD Green Tea at a convenience store in Japan
Source: Shutterstock

Marketing

Branding Opportunities through Vending Machines in Japan: An Unconventional Marketing Tactic?

10 March 202110 March 2021

By Maxim Tvorun-Dunn

This article will examine the market opportunities for branding via vending machines in Japan. We look at some of Japan’s past and present attempts to increase vending machine sales in terms of; machine design, what these attempts mean to the wholesalers supplying drinks to vending machines in Japan, and how independent owners have approached marketing via this channel.

Japan's Vending Machine Market — Olympics-branded Vending Machines with each purchase supporting athletes
Source: Shutterstock

Interviews

Promoting Collaborative Japan-Netherlands Innovation: An Interview with Maarten Hermus of InnovationQuarter

22 February 202111 March 2021

In order to find out more about what’s happening in the Japan-Netherlands innovation space, we sat down with Maarten Hermus, Account Manager focused on Foreign Investment at InnovationQuarter. He assists international companies in horticulture & food in their expansion to Rotterdam-The Hague area.

Maarten Hermus InnovationQuarter Netherlands — Maarten Hermus

We’re a Japan-focussed market research agency, supporting businesses involved in the Japan markets.

Here’s what we do:

BESPOKE MARKET RESEARCH

We enable our clients to understand Japanese audiences in order to make an impact in the marketplace.

MARKET EXPANSION STRATEGY

Our team are familiar with both the European and Japanese markets. We bring clients on-the-ground in their target markets to truly understand the culture, trends and innovations that will have an impact on their success in the market.

LOCALISATION & TRANSLATION

We provide Japanese / English translation and localisation services for Japanese and UK corporates. Our professional, bilingual team is well-versed in creating messaging that resonates with the target audience.

Tokyoesque Insights

The SaaS Market in Japan: Overview and Opportunities

By Pujya Dass

Ways to Break into Japan’s Organic Market

By Melissa Francis

Guest Article: Designing for Export to Japan

By David Tonge @ The Division

Designing for Export to Japan

4 Quick Insights from a PR Expert in Japan: ShapeWin Corporation

Interview with Sandy Tung: Urban Mobility, Innovation, and Smart Cities Expert in London

Japanese Department Stores and Opportunities in the Luxury Pre-packaged Food Sector

By Maxim Tvorun-Dunn

What’s a Powerful Strategy for Marketing Sustainability in Japan Post-Covid?

By Maxim Tvorun-Dunn

Trends and Opportunities in Japan’s Tea Sector 2021

By Maxim Tvorun-Dunn

Branding Opportunities through Vending Machines in Japan: An Unconventional Marketing Tactic?

By Maxim Tvorun-Dunn

Promoting Collaborative Japan-Netherlands Innovation: An Interview with Maarten Hermus of InnovationQuarter

Questions? お問合せ？