          
          
          YES, THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES, BUT THEY CAN BE OVERCOME!
          
          So you have heard about great opportunities in Japan and 
          its necessary role in your firm's international marketing 
          strategy.  You have also been warned of the great 
          difficulties your firm will face.  You have been told that 
          your goods may be treated unfairly, that you will have to 
          adapt your product to the Japanese market, and that the 
          distribution system in Japan is too mysterious and complex.  
          Beyond these problems, you recognize that you will face 
          impenetrable cultural barriers. However, only some of this 
          is true to a limited degree, and these perceptions should 
          not deter you from taking advantage of one of the world's 
          largest and richest markets.
          
          Unquestionably, Japan is a difficult market to crack and, 
          as in most countries, there are cases of protectionism.  
          Nevertheless, Japan is not the "closed market" of even a 
          decade ago.  There are now very few formal barriers to 
          trade in the form of quotas and tariffs.  For those who 
          have a quality product and are willing to undertake the 
          high cost of initial market entry in the world's most 
          expensive country, it is possible to achieve a substantial 
          market share and to make significant profits. The 
          regulatory system is still complex, but the Japanese 
          Government has substantially removed the legal and 
          administrative restrictions on imports and foreign 
          investment in Japan that traditionally made doing business 
          there difficult for U.S. businesses.  In fact, the Japanese 
          Government has shifted its position towards encouraging 
          imports and promoting investment.  However, some knotty 
          regulatory barriers and discrimination do still exist.  
          When a company cannot solve such problems independently or 
          through legal advisers in Japan, the U.S. Government, and 
          particularly the U.S. Department of Commerce, can often 
          provide assistance.  U.S. companies should not be afraid of 
          retaliation by the Japanese bureaucracy for seeking 
          fairness and transparency in Japanese administrative 
          regulations.  There are difficulties, but upon closer 
          inspection, they are not as formidable as they first 
          appear.  With a little hard work, they can usually be 
          overcome.  Many U.S. firms now realize that they can no 
          longer afford not to make a commitment to the Japanese 
          market. The ultimate benefits of getting established in one 
          of the world's largest, most advanced, and dynamic 
          economies, more than repay the initial effort and long-term 
          commitment.
          
