Tech

Overview of the Gaming Industry in Japan

2020.03.10 www.gloture.co.jp

The Japanese gaming industry is the third largest in the world, behind the United States and China, and has set the trends for many years. According to Statista, the gaming market reached 1.4 trillion JPY (13.5 billion USD) in 2017 and was forecast to reach 1.55 trillion JPY (14.9 billion USD) in 2024. New technologies and other advances (3D, 2D, AR, VR, gesture control, etc.) resulted from some Japanese companies or franchises. But what else has the gaming industry brought to the world? Impact of the Japanese Gaming Industry Technological advances are made thanks to this industry, but it is not the only benefit. Education Japan has a wide range…
Strategy for success

Decoding of the Japanese Business Negotiations

2020.03.09 www.gloture.co.jp

International trade has now become unavoidable, but even though business negotiations are happening every day, all businessmen do not know the right way to negotiate with some nations – especially with Japan. Its culture differs widely from Western countries’, particularly when we know that indirect communication is favored by Japanese. When we don’t understand how the system works, meetings and negotiations seem strange, even illogical. So let’s give a look at why businessmen act as they do to better react.   Feelings & Emotions Yes, when you negotiate, you are in a professional setting – but Japanese people will avoid doing business with you if they think you are disrespectful,…
Set up a Company in Japan

How to Build Your Network in Japan

2020.03.06 www.gloture.co.jp

Whether you want to do business in Japan or already work there, networking is essential to achieve success. But how to build and feed your network in Japan? Places First, even though social media is essential, it is not easy to expand your network well without actually meeting people. Not only in Japan, but everywhere else: if you overlook the importance of physical contact, your number of connections will not increase very fast, or not increase at all. But Japan has some specificities concerning the places you should go to meet professionals. Nomikai The word nomikai means ‘gathering to drink’ and it is a big part of the Japanese (business)…
Work in Japan

What Japanese Think of Foreigners Working in Japan

2020.03.06 www.gloture.co.jp

Because of its aging population, Japan is trying to attract more foreigners as a workforce. In 2019, 1.7 million immigrants were living in Japan, but it was not enough: the government revised laws to bring in more talents. Even though foreigners are needed, however, the archipelago remains a country where collectivism and homogeneity reign supreme. If you want to work in Japan, you will have to follow its tacit rules and understand its culture. What It Is Like to Work in Japan First, you have to understand how Japanese companies work and what the typical mindset is. Unlike in the West, the word ‘company’ implies more a whole than many…
Strategy for success

What Business Loyalty Means in Japan

2020.03.05 www.gloture.co.jp

When we think about Japanese workers, we imagine someone working hard, all day long and who never misses work. It is called being loyal to one’s company, and it is a core value in Japan. But it does not apply only to companies, but also to suppliers or customers. Therefore, if you want to enter the Japanese market or work in Japan, you will have to understand what loyalty means and how people display it.  Seller – Buyer It is fundamental for Japanese salespeople to build a strong relationship with buyers – and it is part of their jobs. As a consequence, many buyers have only one supplier for specific…
Work in Japan

How to Make the Perfect Japanese Business Card

2020.03.05 www.gloture.co.jp

As we know, business cards are a must-have when doing business in Japan or with Japanese. The exchange of business cards (meishi koukan 名刺交換) is a tradition and it is essential to know its inner working. Sure, you need to always have some with you, but the first step is and will always be to have printed your cards. So what do you have to include on it, or not include? What are the basics and common sense concerning business cards? Essential Information Your Full Name: on the Japanese side, write your name in katakana. People will be embarrassed if they don’t know how to pronounce it correctly and have to be…
Work in Japan

Business Cards in Japan: Theory & Practice

2020.03.03 www.gloture.co.jp

Whoever wants to do business in Japan heard about business cards and their tacit rules. If you master the Japanese culture, people will certainly have a better image of you. Instead of being the gaijin (foreigner) who wants to do business, you show that you put your shoulder to the wheel and value the Japanese culture, not only the Japanese market. The exchange of business cards (meishi koukan 名刺交換) is an essential element since a real business relationship cannot be built without it. But too many rules seem to exist: are they truly followed by businessmen?  Business Cards Rules　名刺のルール (meishi no ruuru) First, let’s see what Japanese and foreigners are…
AI

Japanese Robotics: Amazing or Scary?

2020.03.03 www.gloture.co.jp

Japan is known for its innovation in the field of robotic, its population is not afraid of a world in which robots and humans can coexist together – at least not as much as in other countries. Dr. Kazuhito Yokoi, director of the Intelligent Systems Research Institute, called Japan the ‘robot superpower‘ and not without any reason. In 2019, the iREX 2019 was held (international robot exhibition), one of the largest robot exhibitions in the world where visitors from more than 80 countries gathered to see the newest technologies. Let’s take stock of Japanese robotics and of Japanese people’s opinion on the subject. Japanese Robots: What Can They Do? Robots…
Set up a Company in Japan

Particularities of the Japanese Distribution System

2020.03.02 www.gloture.co.jp

Selling in Japan is different from selling in Europe or America. The distribution circuit is characteristic, with some barriers for imported products. Because of its sorts of tangled model, distribution in Japan has been misunderstood by other countries, leading to some trade problems and disputes. The model is changing, but the number of ‘mom-and-pop’ (speciality or semi-speciality) stores remains bigger than elsewhere, with around 373 thousand stores according to Statista (in 2014). So what does the distribution look like in Japan now? Stores in Japan There are three main types of stores, if we except the (semi-)speciality ones. Merchandise Stores (GMS) マーチャンダイズストアmaachandaizu stoa They specialize in ‘groceries, perishables, clothing, household…
Tech

What You Need to Know About Drones in Japan

2020.03.02 www.gloture.co.jp

Drones, or unmanned/uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV), have become very popular over the years. Before being commercialized, it was created for military use only and many restrictions were implemented. Nowadays, anyone can buy a (small) drone and fly it – but restrictions are still imposed. The rules are not the same depending on the country, so let’s start with that. Drone Laws in Japan New laws started to be enacted for low-altitude drones when a man used one of them to transport radioactive sand and land on the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s office (in 2015). Fortunately, he was out of the country and nobody was hurt (the level of radioactivity was…