Approaching local companies in the local language truly matters when trying to break in to the Japanese market.   

July 2025   

Recently I've had a pleasure of working with Loadhog Ltd., a Sheffield-based manufacturer of innovative & sustainable logistics packaging on a prospecting project. One of the short-listed prospects was a company they had already interacted with a year before but had no success in hearing back after their initial business proposition was politely declined. Undeterred and believing that they are the right partner, Loadhog asked me to try reaching out to them on their behalf. I did so in Japanese while carefully & effectively using the cultural nuances. We then learned that this company had regretfully made a hasty decision to say no to Loadhog at that time due to other priorities.

The result: Loadhog was able to re-engage with this company, now in the process of sending some samples to them with their technical department involved. Things are moving forward!

A great example of a UK/non-Japanese company that keeps perseverance yet appreciating the local business culture to enter the Japanese market.