Building a successful business in Japan is an attractive proposition, driven largely by the sheer and staggering size of the market.

At 126 million people, Japan's population is just under half that of the United States, with Tokyo-a high-tech metropolis of 28 million consumers-the largest city in the World. With a per capita GDP of over $24,000, Japan is ranked among the top 5 countries in the world.

But markets here are confusing and complex-downright daunting if you're not familiar with the overshadowing and underlying cultural and social mindsets driving them.

There are, however, many ways in which to establish a business presence in Japan, as the team behind the creation of JMI proved. Instrumental in enabling numerous businesses to flourish and thrive in the Japanese market, these entrepreneurs helped companies realize significant value for their shareholders.

The choice of market entry strategy will depend largely on a company's level of commitment of resources. Each approach offers its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

In our experience, mature companies tend to spend about six months researching and gathering data on the Japanese market before entering it, with a view to making a profit within the first two to three years.

Market research is a key part of selecting the correct market entry strategy. JMI can help you with it's broad range of industry experience.