And How to Avoid Them for a Successful Market Entry

Japan is one of the most attractive yet complex markets in the world. But too often, global brands underestimate what it really takes to succeed here. The result? Slow sales cycles, frustrated partners, and a weak brand reputation.

Based on our experience supporting international companies, here are the five most common mistakes in Japan sales, PR, and customer support—and how to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Treating Japan as “Just Another Market”

Many companies don’t outright “fail” in Japan—they just underperform, lower their targets, or quietly scale back expectations. A common pattern: using direct translations of global sales decks or HQ-led campaigns that don’t resonate with Japanese buyers.

The gap is clear: the customer’s problem and the proposed solution simply don’t connect.

In contrast, when companies invest in localized messaging and Japan-style communication, the results can be dramatic. We’ve seen perceptions of a service completely flip, turning skeptical prospects into brand fans once the story was told in a way that fit local expectations.

Tip: Treat Japan as a unique market. Invest in localized sales enablement Japan to align global value propositions with Japanese buyer logic.

Mistake 2: Relying Only on Awareness and Media Coverage

It’s common to see brands celebrate when they land media coverage—only to realize later that it never moved the needle. The problem? The articles didn’t reach the target customers. Sales teams complained: “Our buyers don’t even read this media.”

Coverage without conversion becomes little more than self-congratulation.

Tip: Link PR directly to sales and partner communication. Instead of asking “Did we get exposure?”, ask “Did this content help sales win the right conversations?”

Mistake 3: Underestimating the Role of Customer Support in Japan

Customer support in Japan is not just about solving issues—it’s part of the brand experience. Yet global companies often assign support to non-native Japanese speakers and assume “good enough.”

The reality: even small linguistic or cultural missteps—a slightly blunt phrase, a tone that feels too casual—can frustrate customers. What seems minor to global teams can feel disrespectful in Japan, creating anger, mistrust, and even brand damage.

Tip: Build customer support Japan strategies with PR insights. Ensure responses and FAQs reflect tone, empathy, and consistency, not just efficiency.

Mistake 4: Expecting APAC Marketing Leads to Do It All

We often meet APAC marketing leads who know Japan needs proper support—but they admit defeat. With multiple markets on their plate, Japan gets deprioritized.

What typically gets neglected are external messaging, partner training, media relations, event participation, and ad placements. Even if short-term lead generation looks fine, the long-term pipeline begins to dry up. Competitors start winning bids, partners shift to promoting other solutions, and in some cases, they even create their own messaging—misaligned with global HQ.

Tip: Don’t let Japan become a side project. Either allocate dedicated resources or bring in experts to fill the bandwidth, language, and cultural gaps.

Mistake 5: Ignoring the Language Divide Between Global HQ and Japanese Partners

Most Japanese partners communicate only in Japanese. Global HQ cannot. The result? The burden falls on a small number of bilingual Japanese employees—often beyond their capacity. Messaging updates don’t happen, alignment breaks down, and the brand story fragments.

Tip: Use a bilingual partner to manage partner communication Japan. This ensures global directions are accurately conveyed, while local partners feel heard and supported.

Takeaway

Japan is not a market where “good enough” works. Avoiding these five mistakes—by focusing on localized sales enablement, PR that connects to sales, and customer support Japan strategies—helps global brands accelerate growth and strengthen reputation.

Ready to avoid these pitfalls? Let’s work together to make your Japan market entry a success.