1. Is the customer problem specific enough?
Move beyond features and express value in outcomes customers can budget for: time saved, quality improved, revenue gained, or risk reduced. A use case that works in China may not fit Japanese workflows or decision structures without adaptation.
2. Confirm adoption and operating requirements early
- Data location and model access
- Permissions, auditability, and incident responsibility
- Quality assurance, maintenance, and after-sales support
- Japanese business language and internal approval materials
3. Find a validation customer before a distributor
At an early stage, a company willing to define the problem and shape a PoC with you is more valuable than broad sales coverage. Without customer evidence, distribution partners have little basis for sustained investment.
4. Prepare local implementation capability
A local salesperson plus a remote engineering team is often not enough for complex enterprise adoption. A role similar to an FDE is needed to bridge business context, technology, and organizational coordination.
5. Start small with clear continue-or-stop criteria
Move from market-readiness assessment to a small number of interviews and then a tightly scoped PoC. Set explicit conditions for proceeding at each stage rather than building a large Japan organization too early.