5G in Japan: Think Japan is a tech leader? Not necessarily, but there’s promise

1 October 201915 July 2021

By Greg Kaszas

Before discussing 5G in Japan, let’s introduce the basics: 5G is the fifth generation of mobile network, promising to be much faster and more reliable compared to most of today’s systems, with a greater capacity and lower response times. Unlike previous mobile network generations, 5G cannot be defined by any single form of technology. It’s often referred to as “the network of networks” because of the way it binds together many existing and future standards. While 4G encouraged the spread of smartphones, 5G looks likely to affect a broader range of industries thanks to its versatility.

Beyond a simple boost in performance, 5G is set to open up a wide range of new use cases from smart factories, through to driverless cars, and infrastructure communication to remote health care solutions for patients. With the recent arrival of 5G phones and other devices such as 5G TVs, the technology has started to make its way into everyday life.

Consumer Insights

Fanning the Flames: How to Lose Japanese Consumer Trust

26 September 201913 September 2020

By Melissa Francis

Political incorrectness is everywhere we look, in one form or another. Social media has been especially instrumental in spreading concerns, and this extends to something that has become a staple in the vast majority of our lives — commercials. Platforms like social media, online blogs and forums allow for deeper discussions about problematic themes and styles of commercials.

Business

Cashless Payments in Japan: 5 Prominent Players in the Japanese Fintech Ecosystem

19 September 201919 October 2020

By Greg Kaszas

As the global digital economy is expanding, cashless payments in Japan are making their way into everyday life all around the world. Advantages include the ability to simplify payment sending and receiving process, a shrinking grey economy, a boom in e-commerce, and a sharp reduction in fraud. A study by BCG has concluded that more cash-intensive economies tend to grow slowly and therefore miss out on significant financial benefits.

Culture

Nominication in Japan: What you should know & 5 types of Japanese drinking socials

12 September 201929 June 2020

By Melissa Francis

Nominication — Source: Get Club Magazine

It is important to understand the role of social gatherings in Japan when looking to build on existing relationships with Japanese clients and associates. Nominication is a local word that combines both nomi (drink) and the English loan word ‘communication’. Thus, it refers to the art of communicating and bonding through the process of drinking with others.

Consumer Insights

Japan’s Gen Z — 5 Points about the Enlightened ‘Satori Generation’

5 September 201911 June 2020

By Melissa Francis

In this article, we look at Japan’s equivalent of Gen Z — the so-called ‘Satori Generation’, what their defining characteristics are, and concepts that resonate most with this group.

Marketing

Rugby World Cup Japan 2019: Putting Local Audiences at the Heart of the Action

4 September 20194 August 2020

By Melissa Francis

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games begin in under a year (of course, we would later go on to find this wasn’t the case. We discuss this here).

This means that the Rugby World Cup Japan 2019 is an excellent trial period for Japan in terms of hosting a major global sporting event. After all, the country will have to accommodate a mass influx of overseas visitors — approximately 400,000 extra people — specifically going to these tournaments. So, what do the Rugby World Cup’s promotional campaigns look like and what is their significance on a local level?

Marketing

Marketing with Manga: Japan’s love of visual communication

21 August 201911 June 2020

By Naoko Nomoto

You’ve probably heard the word manga being used when talking about Japanese pop culture. Manga (漫画) — Japanese comics or graphic novels — have a long history and tradition behind them. The visual medium’s roots originated in the 1200s and its current form was first developed in the 1920’s. Many of our art-savvy readers may have noticed the recent increase in international attention that manga has received, especially with the popular exhibition ‘Manga’ at the British Museum, the largest exhibition of manga ever to take place outside Japan. This article looks at how marketing with manga can boost brand visibility and consumer engagement.

Marketing with Manga — Photo by Naoko Nomoto — British Museum Manga Exhibition

Culture

Zen, Shinrin-yoku, Ikigai? The Exoticisation of Japanese Buzzwords

7 August 201911 June 2020

By Ryoko Ward

Zen, shinrin-yoku, ikigai— you may have heard of these words. Although each one is used differently, what’s common is the fact that they are all Japanese terms that have become widely accepted in the west. They also all share an underlying ‘spiritual’ or ‘mindful’ sentiment. In their original Japanese context, however, they don’t necessarily signify spirituality, at least not to the same extent as they’ve come to do in the west.

Industries

Keep your smells to yourself: ‘smell harassment’ and the Japanese personal care industry

24 July 201911 June 2020

By Melissa Francis

Smell harassment, or スメハラ (sumehara) in its shortened form, is an expression that has swept across Japan and duly influenced the Japanese personal care industry. It refers to the act of inadvertently offending others with unpleasant body odours. Whilst the issue of being exposed to body odours in public spaces is certainly not unique to any particular locality, it is the core Japanese attitude of showing respect for others and not wanting to be an inconvenience that makes this an interesting area for personal care brands to explore.

Japanese Personal Care Industry Smell Harassment in Japan — Source: Shutterstock

Marketing

Sports Promotion in Japan: Creating Engagement with Tokyo 2020 One Year Out

19 July 201911 June 2020

By Melissa Francis

With the Rugby World Cup soon approaching in September 2019, and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games a year away, what types of promotional campaigns are being created to raise levels of enthusiasm around these exciting major sporting events? Here, we outline the various marketing methods used to inform and educate the public about Olympic and Paralympic events, which can be applied to wider sports promotion in Japan. In the process, they also seek to improve overall interaction with the Tokyo 2020 brand to make the occasion as memorable as possible.

Sports Promotion in Japan — Source: Play the Game

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

5G in Japan: Think Japan is a tech leader? Not necessarily, but there’s promise

By Greg Kaszas

Fanning the Flames: How to Lose Japanese Consumer Trust

By Melissa Francis

Cashless Payments in Japan: 5 Prominent Players in the Japanese Fintech Ecosystem

By Greg Kaszas

Nominication in Japan: What you should know & 5 types of Japanese drinking socials

By Melissa Francis

Japan’s Gen Z — 5 Points about the Enlightened ‘Satori Generation’

By Melissa Francis

Rugby World Cup Japan 2019: Putting Local Audiences at the Heart of the Action

By Melissa Francis

Marketing with Manga: Japan’s love of visual communication

By Naoko Nomoto

Zen, Shinrin-yoku, Ikigai? The Exoticisation of Japanese Buzzwords

By Ryoko Ward

Keep your smells to yourself: ‘smell harassment’ and the Japanese personal care industry

By Melissa Francis

Sports Promotion in Japan: Creating Engagement with Tokyo 2020 One Year Out

By Melissa Francis

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