Setting up your own business in Japan – Is it worth the risk?

A huge gamble with little incentives.

Nice article. I am starting my own

I set up my business here 7 years ago. Doing very nicely. :-) It's fun finding gaps in the market and working out how to plug them.

Ooooooooooooh, yes! Well worth the risk.

I started a small business 3 years ago. Growing steadily each year.

Absolutely love having to decide everything for myself. And I answer to nobody except my clients.

My only set-back is wishing I had done it years ago.

I agree with Weasel. Would like to have heard more insights. I pioneered a specific field in Japan and now employ 13 people. Would have liked to hear if this person had similar experiences. It is great, though, to be able to run an organization how you think is best.

I'd like to read success stories of foreigners doing business in Japan.

@bisoy There are hundreds of us.No more easy or difficult than anywhere else.Different yes and requiring varying levels of connections,patience and skilss but always fun

Really interesting article and something I have been thinking of doing for a long time.

I've experienced "gaijin fear" far too often in business here. And language abilities don't help alleviate it. People are polite but the markets seem very challenging for non-Japanese - even those outsiders with talent and something unusual to offer. Do others feel the same hesitency here to do business with unpredictable gaijins who function along other unfamiliar rules? How do you get around that? Hire Japanese and stay in the rear?