Guides
Guides to researching Japan
Much of the information about Japanese companies, markets and regulations is published only in Japanese. These guides explain how to find and check it yourself using public sources.
How to Research a Japanese Company Online
Find the official Japanese company name, read the company profile page, confirm corporate number records, check disclosures and news, and avoid mixing up similarly named companies.
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How to Research Competitors and Pricing in Japan
Identify competitors the way Japanese customers would find them, read Japanese price notation and tax labels, and compare plans on equal terms.
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How to Research the Japanese Market Using Japanese Sources
Define the market first, then work through government statistics, ministry reports, industry associations and company disclosures — and read fiscal years, units and definitions correctly.
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How to Find Information on Japanese Websites
When English searches come up empty: find the Japanese name, handle spelling variants, use site: and filetype: searches, and check PDFs, press releases and moved pages.
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Japanese Primary Sources: How to Trace Information to Its Origin
Trace a figure or claim from an English summary or news article back to the original Japanese document, and check who published it, when, and under what conditions.
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About the service
optimal plan SEARCH’s Japan Research Service researches Japanese-language websites and public sources for you and delivers the findings in English, with source links wherever possible. You can ask in English; there is no charge to ask.
Learn about the Japan Research Service →