How to Communicate Overseas Track Record to Customers in Japan
For foreign companies who want to use their overseas track record in Japan: how to present it so Japanese customers understand, and how to build results in Japan.
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Column
People and Organization Issues to Check Before Acquiring a Japanese Company
For foreign companies weighing an acquisition in Japan: people and organization items to check before acquiring, from key people to HR systems and culture.
How Much Authority to Give the Japan Office: Dividing Roles With Headquarters
For foreign companies unsure how much authority to delegate to Japan: perspectives for sorting it out by amount and risk, and how to widen it in stages.
Which Numbers to Track First in Sales in the Japan Market
For foreign companies starting sales in Japan: which metrics to track first along the sales flow, how to read them, and how to share them with headquarters.
How to Sort Out Cost Sharing Between Headquarters and the Japan Entity
For foreign companies with unclear cost sharing between headquarters and the Japan entity: what to organize, from allocation basis to documenting agreements.
Expense Reimbursement Rules to Set Up When Launching a Japan Office
For foreign companies launching a Japan office: basic expense reimbursement rules to set up, from eligible expenses and procedures to keeping receipts.
How to Evaluate a Candidate's English Ability in Hiring
For foreign companies unsure how to evaluate English ability in hiring: from defining the situations that matter to choosing how to assess them.
Decision Delays When Headquarters Leads Hiring in Japan
For foreign companies whose selection slows under headquarters-led hiring: how to cut decision delays by clarifying approval scope and setting deadlines.
Who to Hire After the Country Manager: Building a Japan Organization
For foreign companies unsure who to hire after a Country Manager: what to weigh in choosing the next role, and how to share the plan with headquarters.
Offers That Resonate With Candidates in Japan: What to Explain Beyond Pay
For foreign companies who want Japanese candidates to accept: what to explain in an offer beyond pay, and how to keep the dialogue going afterward.
Full-Time Employees or Contractors for Your Japan Office: How to Choose
For foreign companies staffing a Japan office: how to choose between full-time employees and contractors, and what to watch after signing.
How Foreign Companies Should Decide Salary Levels When Hiring in Japan
For foreign companies unsure about salary levels in Japan: how they differ from headquarters' pay tables, what to weigh, and how to run them.
Contracts and Internal Rules to Review When Expanding in Japan
For foreign companies expanding in Japan: what to review in contracts and internal rules, and how to set priorities.
How to Present Case Studies to Build Trust in Japan
For foreign companies building a track record in Japan: what to include in case studies, and how to gather and use more of them.
What to Prepare Before Day One After Acquiring a Japanese Company
For foreign companies acquiring a Japanese company: communication, structure, and business continuity items to prepare before Day One.
How to Reprioritize When Japan Business Plans Fall Behind
For foreign companies whose Japan plans are behind: how to reprioritize by separating causes and deciding what to continue, stop, or change.
Growth Indicators to Check Before Investing More in Japan
For foreign companies weighing further investment in Japan: growth indicators to check beyond revenue, and how to share them with headquarters.
Balancing Headquarters Reporting With Japanese Accounting and Tax
For foreign companies carrying a double burden of headquarters reporting and Japanese accounting and tax: mapping and closing steps that help.
How Much Accounting Can Be Outsourced When Launching in Japan
For foreign companies launching a Japan office: how much accounting work can be outsourced, and which tasks to keep in-house.
Hiring Is Not the End: How to Onboard New Hires at a Japan Office
For foreign companies struggling with onboarding at a Japan office: how to run onboarding from before the start date through the first three months.
Preventing Offer Declines: Selection Steps to Rethink in Japan
For foreign companies facing offer declines in Japan: what to review in communication, explanation, and approval, and how to follow up after an offer.
Aligning Headquarters and Local Team Evaluations in Japan Interviews
For foreign companies whose headquarters and Japan team evaluate candidates differently: how to align criteria, roles, and final decisions.
How to Write Job Postings That Attract Candidates in Japan
For foreign companies not getting applicants in Japan: what to include in a job posting, and how to rework it beyond a literal translation.
How to Assess Self-Starter Ability in Japan Launch Hires
How foreign companies can assess self-starter ability in interviews when hiring for a Japan launch, and how to align evaluation criteria.
Three Decisions to Make Before Your First Hire in Japan
Three decisions foreign companies should settle with headquarters before a first hire in Japan: the role, the pay framework, and who approves.
How Foreign Companies Should Approach Partnerships and M&A in Japan
A general approach for foreign companies considering partnerships or acquisitions in Japan, from defining objectives through due diligence.
Contracts and Compliance to Review as a Japan Entity's Transactions Grow
Contract and compliance items foreign companies should review as their Japan entity's transactions grow, from templates to document management.
What to Watch for When Preparing Employment Contracts in Japan
Why reusing a headquarters employment contract template is risky in Japan, and what to check when preparing contracts that comply with Japanese labor law.
How Foreign Companies Can Build Internal Controls in Japan
How foreign companies can build effective internal controls in Japan even with a small team, from approval processes to working with outside experts.
Accounting Management to Review as a Japan Entity's Revenue Grows
Accounting management areas foreign companies should review as revenue grows in Japan, from the accounting system to internal controls.
How Foreign Companies Can Strengthen B2B Marketing in Japan
How foreign companies can strengthen B2B marketing in Japan by accounting for its consensus-based buying process and building sales alignment.
How to Localize a Global Brand for the Japan Market
How to decide what to localize and what to keep consistent when adapting a global brand for the Japan market, and how to bring headquarters along.
A PR Strategy for Building Trust in the Japan Market
How foreign companies can build trust in the Japan market through a PR strategy that combines visible results, media relations, and consistent messaging.
How to Define Hiring Requirements for Japan Entity Expansion
Steps for defining clear hiring requirements when expanding a Japan entity, and how to align leadership and the field around them.
How Foreign Companies Should Hire Back-Office Talent in Japan
How foreign companies can define requirements and set up hiring for accounting, HR, and legal roles in their Japan back office.
What to Watch for When Hiring Sales Talent for a Japan Entity
Evaluation criteria and post-hire retention points for foreign companies hiring sales talent for their Japan operations.
When Foreign Companies Should Rethink Their Hiring Strategy in Japan
Signs that indicate it is time for foreign companies to rethink their hiring strategy in Japan, and the areas worth reviewing.
Organizational Challenges That Slow a Japan Entity's Growth
Organizational challenges that commonly surface as a Japan entity grows, and how to address role clarity, siloed knowledge, and onboarding.
How Foreign Companies Can Accelerate Growth in the Japan Market
For foreign companies whose growth in Japan has slowed, an overview of the factors that hold back speed and the levers that can accelerate it.
Building Brand Awareness in Japan: A Basic PR and Marketing Strategy
A basic PR and marketing strategy for foreign companies whose overseas brand recognition does not carry over to Japan, combining PR, digital marketing, and brand strategy.
A Business Plan for Growing a Japan Entity Beyond a Small Team
How to build a business plan that helps a small-team Japan entity grow, and win headquarters buy-in for hiring and investment decisions.
What to Watch for When Hiring a Country Manager for Your Japan Entity
How to evaluate candidates for a Country Manager or sales leader role in Japan, and how to design their authority after hiring.
Legal and Contract Problems That Arise as a Japan Entity Grows
Common legal and contract problems foreign companies face as their Japan entity grows, and how to build a framework to prevent them.
How Foreign Companies Should Prioritize Japan Business Expansion
An overview of how foreign companies can decide priorities when expanding their Japan business, covering business impact, execution difficulty, and dependencies.
How Foreign Companies Can Scale a Sales Team in Japan, From One Person to a Team
Steps for turning a one-person sales effort into a repeatable team in Japan, and the common mistakes made along the way.
How Foreign Companies Can Use Local Partners to Expand Their Japan Business
How foreign companies can use M&A and business partnerships with local partners to accelerate growth in Japan, and what to look for when selecting one.
When a Foreign Company's Japan Entity Should Strengthen Its Back Office
Signs that indicate it is time to strengthen accounting, tax, and labor operations at a Japan entity, and how to approach the buildout.
Why Foreign Companies Struggle to Hire Top Talent in Japan, and How to Fix It
Structural reasons foreign companies struggle to hire in Japan, from brand awareness to selection speed, and how to improve each one.
What Foreign Startups Should Prepare Before Strengthening Hiring in Japan
An overview of the hiring foundations foreign startups should put in place before strengthening hiring in Japan, including contracts, salary ranges, and channels.
Five Areas Foreign Companies Should Review Before Expanding a Small Japan Team
Five areas foreign companies should review before expanding a small Japan team, including decision-making processes, organization design, and hiring plans.
Why Foreign Companies' Japan Operations Struggle to Grow: Moving Beyond a Small-Team Structure
An overview of the structural challenges that can hold back a foreign company's Japan operations, including distance from headquarters, slow decision-making, and limited local networks.