At a dialogue event for Japanese and US companies held in San Francisco, three key points for succeeding in the Japanese market were discussed from the perspective of those on the ground. The speakers were AironWorks' Terada (寺田) and LR's Ro (路), who provided details on decision-making at Japanese companies and adapting to the local market.
On 16 September 2026, KDDI and Digital Garage jointly hosted the event “Japan Sake and Startup in San Francisco” at DG717 in San Francisco for local startups interested in expanding into Japan. A panel discussion was held on strategies for succeeding in the Japanese market and approaches to customer development.
The speakers were Terada Kanahi (寺田 彼日) of Japan-founded startup AironWorks and Ro Shoyu (路 承融) of LR, both of whom are currently developing customers in the US market. Speaking about the realities of succeeding in the Japanese market, they said that understanding local decision-making processes and on-the-ground needs is important.
It was noted that in the Japanese market, companies may need to involve multiple departments in addition to gaining the support of the person in charge, and that reaching a contract can take approximately 3 to 6 months. As an initial strategy, it was considered effective to build a track record on a small scale with small and medium-sized enterprises and startups, then propose solutions to large companies based on successful implementations at Japanese companies.
The discussion also covered the importance of using social media and working with local partners. Social media is considered influential in the Japanese market, and Notion was cited as an example. It was also suggested that in a sales-led model, having a local manager or Japanese team members can lead to contracts being signed. In addition, building connections at local events was considered useful for developing ongoing relationships.