Japan
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Photo: Matsue
Castle
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Table
of Contents
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Market Overview
Why Japan Now?
Japan boasts the largest
and most diverse economy in
Asia, and is second only to
the U.S. on the world's
economic stage. The U.S. sends
more exports to Japan than it
does to any other overseas
destination. Thousands of U.S.
companies have established
successful operations in Japan
and even more export to Japan
on a regular basis. The
Japanese economy has pulled
out of its economic slump of
the last decade and is showing
clear signs of an emerging
recovery. U.S. exports to
Japan have risen steadily over
the last several years, and
exchange rates continue to
favor U.S. exporters.
More Deregulation
Than Ever Before
In the mid-80's the
Japanese market was often
characterized as being
excessively regulated and a
difficult market to penetrate.
Several factors have
contributed to the easing of
these regulations and to a
more open economy. Changes
brought through technology and
the Internet, restructuring
within the Japanese economy
and bilateral negotiations,
have opened the Japanese
market in many sectors where
U.S. companies are globally
competitive —
telecommunications, medical
equipment and pharmaceuticals,
energy (including power
generation and transmission
equipment), information
technology, insurance, and
financial services. As a
result of the Economic
Partnership for Growth,
launched by President Bush and
Prime Minister Koizumi in June
2001, the U.S. and Japanese
governments continue to
exchange reform
recommendations on key sectors
every fall. Now more than
ever, Japan deserves a second
look.
Highlights of the
Japanese market:
- Asia's trendsetter
- Returning to growth
economy
- Second-highest GDP in
the world
- Second-highest
purchasing power and
consumption levels in the
world after the U.S.
- Efficient,
state-of-the-art
transportation and
communications systems
- Households with
computers:
Japan 65.7%
U.S.A. 61.8%
- Households with internet
access:
Japan 88.1%
U.S. 54.6%
- Cellular telephone
subscribers:
Japan 85.1%
U.S. 54.6%
Photo: Miyajima
Japan
at a Glance
| A. |
Population |
127.7
million |
| B. |
Land
Area |
377,864
sq. km. (145,902 Sq.
mi.);slightly smaller
than California |
| C. |
Capital |
Tokyo |
| D. |
Other
Major Cities |
Yokohama,
Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto,
Nagoya, Sapporo,
Fukuoka |
| E. |
Government
Type |
Constitutional
monarchy with a
parliamentary
government |
| F. |
Language |
Japanese |
| G. |
Primary
Industries |
machinery
and equipment, metals
and metal products,
textiles, automobiles,
chemicals, electrical
and electronic
equipment |
| H. |
GDP
(2004) |
$4,689
billion (nominal) |
| I. |
GDP
per capita in U.S.
dollars (2004) |
$36,718
(nominal) |
| J. |
Real
GDP growth rate (2004) |
1.48 %
(nominal) |
| K. |
Consumer
Price Increase Rates
(2004) |
0.0 % |
| L. |
Unemployment
Rate (2004) |
4.7 % |
| M. |
Total
Imports (2004) |
$456.8
billion |
| N. |
Total
Exports (2004) |
$567.8
billion |
| O. |
Major
Import Suppliers (as %
of M.) |
China
20.7 %, U.S. 13.7 %,
South Korea 4.8 %,
Australia 4.3 %,
Indonesia 4.1 % |
| P. |
Major
Export Markets (as %
of N.) |
U.S.
22.4 %, China 13.1 %,
South Korea 7.8 %,
Taiwan 7.4 %, Hong
Kong 6.3 % |
| Q. |
Top
10 Imports (Japan from
world) |
crude
oil, textile articles,
electronic components,
computers, LNG, fishes
and shells, audio and
visual apparatus,
nonferrous metals,
optical instruments,
petroleum products |
| R. |
Top
10 Exports (Japan to
world) |
automobiles,
electronic components,
automobile parts,
steel, optical
instruments, prime
motors, imaging
equipment, organic
compound, electrical
apparatus, computer
parts |
| S. |
Imports
from U.S. (2004) |
$54.4
billion |
| T. |
Exports
to U.S. (2004) |
$129.6
billion |
| U. |
Top
10 U.S. Exports Japan |
computer
and electronic
products,
transportation
equipment, chemicals,
machinery,
agricultural products,
food products,
beverages and tobacco
products, electrical
equipment and
component, fabricated
metal products, marine
products |
| V. |
Top
10 Japanese Exports to
U.S. |
transportation
equipment, computer
and electronic
products, machinery,
chemicals, electrical
equipment and
component, fabricated
metal products,
plastics and rubber
products, primary
metal manufacturing,
nonmetallic mineral
products, paper |
Note: Average
exchange rate used for H, I,
M, N US$1=107.74 yen
Sources:
Government of Japan /U.S.
Department of State/Japan
Tariff Association / Bank of
Japan /Department of Commerce
/ Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation
Doing
Business in Japan
Market Entry
Strategy
 Many
U.S. companies that are
serious about entering the
Japanese market can benefit by
finding a reputable,
well-connected agent or
distributor to represent them
in the market. In addition, it
is extremely important to
cultivate business contacts
through frequent personal
visits. Commercial Service
Japan can help you find these
types of agents, as well as
direct buyers, through our Gold
Key and International Partner
Search programs.
Japanese attach a high
degree of importance to
personal relationships, and
these take time to establish
and nurture. Patience and
repeated follow-up are
required to clinch a deal.
Unless you possess excellent
Japanese language skills,
foreign business executives
should be accompanied by a
professional interpreter, as
many Japanese executives and
decision makers do not speak
English. For more information
on doing business in Japan, click
here, or consult your
nearest Commercial Service
office.
Photo: Rainbow Bridge
Best
U.S. Export Prospects
Success
Story
CS/Japan Produces
Results for U.S. Companies
During the last year alone,
CS/Japan has helped U.S.
companies attain more than 300
specific export successes
throughout Japan. These export
sales have come from all over
the United States, and from a
diverse array of industry
sectors. One U.S. exporter got
a lift from CS/Japan when they
received assistance that
helped them provide elevators
to one of Japan's most famous
automobile companies. Another
successful U.S. service
provider was able to support a
local municipality for their
water remediation project.
Still another of America's
small exporters provided
windows to numerous Japanese
home builders. America's
fashion industry also sewed up
success in the Japanese market
this year with the help of
CS/Japan. Advocacy played a
key role as well when CS/Japan
stepped in to secure the
release and use of electronic
components by one of Japan's
electrical utilities. Finally,
CS/Japan actively built
success from the ground up
when we supported America's
architects by helping them win
contracts to design both
public and private buildings
in Japan. There are many more
examples, but these few help
illustrate the positive
results that can come from
partnership with the
Commercial Service Japan.
 Market
Research
Imports of Building
Products to Japan (monthly)
Housing Starts in Japan
(monthly)
Japanese Green Building
Products Market
The Cosmetics Market in Japan
Japanese Flooring Market
Machine Tool Trends in Japan
Precious Metal Jewelry in
Japan
Hosiery Market
For complete report and for
more market research, visit
"Market
Research Library"
"Photo:
Shiodome"
Upcoming
Events
For the complete listing of
upcoming events, visit our Event
Calendar.
CS Japan Outreach
Seminars (September 16, 22,
2005)
We use these Outreach
Seminars to promote U.S.
products and services to the
Japanese importing public. In
particular, we introduce the
U.S. companies featured on our
web site through the FUSE
("Featured U.S.
Exporters") program,
advertise trade events in the
U.S. (whether or not covered
by the International Buyer
Program), and promote our
matchmaking services to
Japanese importers. In the
coming months, we plan to hold
outreach seminars in two major
Japanese industrial centers:
September 16, 2005, Sendai
(northern Honshu island).
September 22, 2005, Fukuoka
(northern Kyushu island) --
Focus on Safety &
Security industry.
Business Opportunities
Await You in Japan!
If you have any products or
services you wish us to
promote to Japanese importers
during our outreach seminars,
please get in touch with us
Contact: Yoshiko
Okamoto, Commercial Service
Tokyo, Japan (yoshiko.okamoto@mail.doc.gov),
Alain Letort,
Commercial Service Tokyo,
Japan (alain.letort@mail.doc.gov)
USA
Pavilion at ENVIRO SHIGA 2005
(October 19-21, 2005, Annual
Event)
Place:
Nagahama Dome, Shiga
Prefecture, Japan
Commercial Service Osaka-Kobe
will organize the fifth U.S.
Pavilion at the International
Environmental Business
Exhibition, Enviro-Shiga. This
year’s U.S. Pavilion will
feature eleven U.S.
manufacturers of a variety of
environmental preservation and
solution products and
technologies.
Contact: Chikako
Akai, Commercial Service
Osaka-Kobe, Japan (chikako.akai@mail.doc.gov)
Japan
Home & Building Show in
Tokyo (November 8 -11, 2005,
Annual Event)
Place:
Tokyo International Exhibition
Center (Tokyo Big Sight),
Tokyo, Japan
The Japan Home & Building
Show is the largest housing
industry trade show in Japan,
attracting about 100,000
visitors every year.
Exhibiting as a U.S. Pavilion
participant may be an
excellent way to meet
knowledgeable industry
representatives such as
homebuilders, importers and
distributors, architects and
developers.
Home
Builders Expo in Osaka
(November 17 - 19, 2005,
Annual Event)
Place:
INTEX OSAKA, Osaka, Japan
The Home Builders Expo Osaka
will be organized by the Japan
Management Association as a
follow-on trade show.
Commercial Service Osaka-Kobe
encourage U.S. companies
interested in expanding their
sales in the Osaka-Kobe region
to participate in both the
Japan Home & Building Show
and the Home Builders Expo
Osaka. Although the
application deadlines for both
of these shows are the end of
July 2005, these shows are
held annually, thus U.S.
companies that are interested
in the next show in 2006 are
encouraged to contact
Commercial Service Osaka-Kobe.
Contact: Kazuhisa
Takabatake, Commercial Service
Osaka-Kobe, Japan (kazuhisa.takabatake@mail.doc.gov)
International
Jewellery Tokyo (January
25-28, 2006)
Place:
Tokyo International Exhibition
Center (Tokyo Big Sight),
Tokyo, Japan
International Jewellery Tokyo
(IJT) is a major show on
jewelry industry in the
market, which brings over 1340
exhibitors including about 500
from overseas every year. The
show attracts over 23,600
visitors at their recent show
held in spring 2005.
Interested U. S. companies
should contact the show
organizer http://web.reedexpo.co.jp/ijt/english/.
Commercial Service Japan
Contact: Junko Namba,
Commercial Service Tokyo,
Japan (junko.namba@mail.doc.gov)
"GolfUSA"
Pavilion at Japan Golf Fair
(February 24-26, 2006)
Place:
Tokyo International Exhibition
Center (Tokyo Big Sight),
Tokyo, Japan Commercial
Service Japan will organize a
U.S. pavilion at the Japan's
only golf related trade show.
The pavilion will introduce
high quality and innovative
golf
products/equipment/services as
well as golfing destinations
in the U.S. For golfing
destination, we will feature
each destination in our
special full-color and
Japanese-language guidebook
and distribute it to visitors
as well as travel agents after
the show.
Contact: Hirono
Taki, Commercial Service
Osaka-Kobe, Japan (hirono.taki@mail.doc.gov)
U.S. Apparel Show
at Japan's International
Fashion Fair (January 18-20,
2006)
Place: Tokyo International
Exhibition Center (Tokyo Big
Sight), Tokyo, Japan Office of
Textiles and Apparel and
Commercial Service Japan will
feature American young men's
street fashion at Japan's
largest fashion
tradeshow. Contact: Pamela
Kirkland, Office of Textiles
and Apparel (pamela_kirkland@ita.doc.gov),
Hirono Taki, Commercial
Service Osaka-Kobe, Japan (hirono.taki@mail.doc.gov)
Photo: Asakusa
Contact
us:
CS Japan has six office
locations in Japan's major
business centers:
U.S. Embassy Tokyo
U.S. Consulate General
Osaka-Kobe
U.S. Consulate Nagoya
U.S. Consulate General
Sapporo
U.S. Consulate Fukuoka
U.S. Consulate General Naha
Each office has experienced
personnel ready to assist you
with your business plans for
Japan. For contact
information, please visit here
(http://www.buyusa.gov/japan/en/offices_japan.html).
ExportMichigan suggests the
following additional
information:
Date
Updated: March 27, 2007
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