A bridge into Japan —
and out of it.
For companies entering Japan, building Made-in-Japan products, or turning health data into something people act on. One person leads every engagement, with specialist partners brought in as each project needs them.
In our experience, many failed entries aren't regulatory failures.
They're translation failures.
Getting the ingredients and the label right is the visible part. The harder part is what doesn't translate: how a Japanese distributor decides, what a clinic expects before it recommends anything, and why head office and the Japan team keep talking past each other. We work on both.
Formula, label, claims
Ingredient-by-ingredient screening, reformulation, Japanese labelling and claims written to comply with Japanese law.
Distributors & partners
Finding, vetting and negotiating with Japanese distributors, OEMs, marketplaces and the clinic channel.
Joint ventures
From exclusive contract to JV structure, governance and running the Japanese company day to day.
HQ ⇄ Japan team
A bilingual bridge between head office and the Japanese side — meetings, decisions, expectations and escalation.
Training & materials
Product training for Japanese staff and practitioners, and materials written for Japan rather than translated into it.
Science that lands
Your clinical evidence, explained the way Japanese physicians and pharmacists expect to read it.
- “They said yes in the meeting. Why has nothing happened?”
In Japan, a meeting often confirms a decision already made beforehand. We help you do the groundwork (根回し, nemawashi) before the meeting, not after.
- “Why does the distributor want so much detail?”
Japanese partners carry reputational risk for what they sell. Specifications, stability data and a clear answer to every question are how trust is built.
- “Our global deck didn't work here.”
Claims, tone and evidence need to be rebuilt for Japanese regulation and Japanese readers — not translated line by line.
Exclusive contract
Brought Metagenics to Japan.
Import & channel
Product management, import, supply chain, medical channel.
Joint venture
Advised the US side on the JV structure.
Running it
Board Director & CTO of Metagenics Japan.
Japanese quality, at a price that may surprise you.
When the yen is weak, manufacturing at Japanese GMP partners becomes far more cost-competitive in dollar and euro terms. You get Japanese quality control, traceability and the “Made in Japan” label — which still carries real weight with consumers across Asia.
A weaker yen lowers your cost in USD or EUR for the same Japanese production.
Japanese GMP partners, specifications, stability testing and batch-level traceability.
“Made in Japan” is a selling point in China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and beyond.
Formulation, partner selection, specs, labels and launch — with one point of contact.
Exchange rates move. We quote in yen and show you how the cost changes in your currency, so the decision doesn't depend on one month's rate. Export registrations in the destination market are handled with local partners.
From a test result to a change in behaviour.
For pharmacies, health-check providers, insurers, employers and wellness businesses in Japan: we design the whole chain — what to measure, how to read it, how people receive it, and what makes them act.
Testing & analysis logic
Which tests, which reference ranges, and how results are interpreted and reported.
Apps & systems
LINE, PHR apps and dashboards, built with our development partner.
Products, tools & training
Supplements, explainer tools and staff training that turn a report into a habit.
Connecting people, companies and universities.
Joint research coordination
Planning and coordinating joint research between companies and Japanese universities and research institutes.
Business partnerships
Introductions to Japanese manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, clinics and distributors we know and trust.
Experts on call
Physicians, researchers, regulatory specialists and designers, brought in as each project needs them.
Japan, as a place to reset.
Programmes for partners, practitioners and teams that combine nutrition, testing and Japanese food culture with time away. Travel arrangements are made through licensed travel partners.
Tell us where you are.
We'll tell you what's next.
A free 30-minute call, in English or Japanese. To request one, email [email protected] with your company, your product and a few times that suit you.
- Entering Japan, or making in Japan?
- What's already in place — product, partner, team?
- The one thing that would most change the outcome.