Japan energy market entry for EU companies

EU-Japan Gateway program keynote

I was invited to give a keynote talk to about 50 European participants in the EU-Japan Gateway program, which assists small and medium sized European companies to enter the Japanese market.

Japan energy market: “How can a European company succeed in Japan’s energy landscape?”

I explained Japan’s energy situation today, based on our reports:
Renewable energy in Japan
Japan’s energy sector

followed by some advice on how a European company can succeed in Japan, covering the following points:

• you often need a taylor made solution for Japan
• you need to understand the market, market landscape, need to do your market research
• you need to understand the value of your product/service in Japan’s market
• you need working capital to build business in Japan, somebody needs to invest this working capital: you, your investors, or in some cases Japanese partners, each option has advantages and disadvantages
• some common mistakes – why business development in Japan can fail
• some steps towards success