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Le Thi Hoa spent 2 years and 3 failed attempts before TechViet Labs secured its first enterprise contract in Japan. That year, they completely changed their strategy — and the results transformed the entire company.
"Japan doesn't buy products from strangers," Hoa shares. "They buy from people they trust. And building trust in Japan is a process — there are no shortcuts."
4 Steps to Enter the Japanese Market
Step 1: Find a Japanese channel partner. Don't go direct. Find a Japanese company already serving your target customer and propose partnership. Their referral is worth 10x a cold call. Step 2: Fully localize. Not just translate — redesign UX for Japanese thinking. Japanese users expect a higher standard of polish. Step 3: Free proof of concept. Many Japanese companies will request a POC. Don't refuse — it's the door in. Step 4: Be patient with decision-making. Japanese decisions often require consensus across many levels (nemawashi). Double your expected timeline.
“Our first Japanese customer has been with us for 7 years and has never missed a payment. That's why it's worth investing 2 years to get in.”