Starting a Business in Japan

ET_Fukuoka · 21 Feb 2007

I was brainstorming with the wifey the other day about starting a business in Japan and thought I would pose the question to all of you fine folks.

What business would you start in Japan?

(Oh yeah, Except for the usual starting an English school thing.)

Grandpa Frank · 21 Feb 2007

Japanese attitude toward pets??

How about fancy gourmet edible treats for cats & dogs? People here in the states pay like a buck a piece for the little fancy baked goods for their pets. Maybe get in on the ground floor of the next adopted western fad?

Uncle Frank

Homerduff · 21 Feb 2007

I am interested in starting my own business eventually as product designer in Japan. You can easily sell your products to store-keepers who are interested in Japan (from what I have heard), and in this way you can spread out your product, and other companies might get interested in it. So either I will try to make some attractive designs (so no new product concepts), maybe japanese mixed with a western tint or I try to make total new product concepts, knowing that the Japanese product market is overwhelmed with all kinds of strange products. So the sky is the limit !

Anyway my studies will begin next year, who knows I drop out or I feel its not really what I expected..

Thunderthief · 22 Feb 2007

You could open a store that sold US imports, like dvds, video games and electronics.

Damicci · 22 Feb 2007

Thunderthief said:
You could open a store that sold US imports, like dvds, video games and electronics.

Customs would probably be a PIA to work with. actually the dog treat thing might be a good idea.

ET_Fukuoka · 22 Feb 2007

Some good ideas so far. Let's keep them going!!

Here are some of mine:
1. Bar/Pub type thing (themed of course)
2. Buy some property and rent to Gaijin (for a fair price and no "key money")
3. Write a Kids English Book
4. Some kind of internet business??? (at a loss here...LOL)

GaijinPunch · 23 Feb 2007

All four of those have been done, many fold, I might add.

I used to do the Yahoo Japan->Ebay thing. Yeah, everyone does it now, but I was one of the first. At the time, I was the only person on Ebay selling games direct from Japan. Made a killing, too. Was so much smarter than investing what little savings I had in the stock market.

EDIT: Fixed

JerseyBoy · 24 Feb 2007

If you are interested in starting your own business, you should have some types of passion or commitment to that project. I think the best way to go around this is to find out what interests you most, what fields you are interested in, and etc. I read many successful entrepreneurs are very motivated at what they are doing.

ET_Fukuoka · 24 Feb 2007

JerseyBoy said:
If you are interested in starting your own business, you should have some types of passion or commitment to that project. I think the best way to go around this is to find out what interests you most, what fields you are interested in, and etc. I read many successful entrepreneurs are very motivated at what they are doing.

Been there done that with the books and entreperneurs stuff. LOL
My passion is surfing the web, Japan, sleeping, and cars. Cars are nothing but money pits and I don't really want to be in the car business. Actually 5 years ago it was great using Yahoo Japan, but now the profit margains are super low, which makes it not worth the effort. Surfing the web/websites pays me a little through Google Ads but not enough to quit my day job. Japan makes me a little money on E-bay but there isn't enough business to quit the day job. Either that or I need to be less lazy and grow the business. Sleeping is great but doesn't pay at all.

I have some idea's about business applications that might turn into something but they are still in the development stages, so that means no money for a while if ever.

Basically, I am the king of idea's but never follow through. LOL That's my problem, I don't have the drive.

<---Me banging my head on the table...

Glenski · 24 Feb 2007

You could open a store that sold US imports, like dvds, video games and electronics.

Besides the expected reminder of selling "coals to Newcastle", you'd have to get US equipment that works in Japan. DVDs don't because of regional differences in coding.

My passion is surfing the web, Japan, sleeping, and cars.

You sound more like a Japanese high school kid. Doesn't give us much to go on to help you.
And, selling ANYTHING in Japan is not easy, mostly because of the distributorships you have to go through. It's a real maze.
Try gaijinpot.com and its SOHO forum. Expect flamers, though.

ET_Fukuoka · 24 Feb 2007

LOL, I wish I didn't have the responsibilities I have now and could be back to the feel free high school days.

Actually, I do some import/export on a small scale right now. US to Japan I usually deal with American Autoparts, and accessories, and other misc. goods my freind/business partner requests. Also help my father-in-law obtain construction supplies once in a blue moon. He builds custom houses in Japan.

From Japan to the US I sell anything and everything (Used/New Books and Magazines, Car Parts, Tatami, Software, clothes, womens make up, etc).

Elizabeth · 24 Feb 2007

ET_Fukuoka said:
LOL, I wish I didn't have the responsibilities I have now and could be back to the feel free high school days.
Actually, I do some import/export on a small scale right now. US to Japan I usually deal with American Autoparts, and accessories, and other misc. goods my freind/business partner requests. Also help my father-in-law obtain construction supplies once in a blue moon. He builds custom houses in Japan.
From Japan to the US I sell anything and everything (Used/New Books and Magazines, Car Parts, Tatami, Software, clothes, womens make up, etc).

In other words, you're probably not motivated because the idea of setting up a business in Japan is 99% totally impractical.

I don't even know why you'd want to try unless the idea is to live there.
From Business 101, grow what you have going now or try to make a success of something in the states first before jumping into a foreign market with no connections in a language you're not fully fluent in. ☝

Starting a Business in Japan

ET_Fukuoka

先輩

Grandpa Frank

Sempai

Homerduff

ケビン

Thunderthief

後輩

Damicci

先輩

ET_Fukuoka

先輩

GaijinPunch

遠いから行きません

JerseyBoy

Back in town

ET_Fukuoka

先輩

Glenski

Just me

ET_Fukuoka

先輩

Elizabeth

先輩

Similar threads