Japanese Video Surveillance Market Guide Released

JH
John Honovich
•Published Jul 20, 2009 00:00 AM
PUBLIC - This article does not require an IPVM subscription. Feel free to share.

Though the Japanese market is one of the largest in the world, it is one of the most difficult for Western companies to understand and succeed. Not only are US common sense and practices not shared in Japan, they can often make things worse.

Today, we release the Japanese Video Surveillance Market Guide to help industry professionals improve their plans and opportunities for success in Japan. This report will summarize key findings from the guide (also see the Guide's Table of Contents and an excerpt on Japanese IT). The entire 75 page guide may be puchased and downloaded immediately.

Key Findings from the Japanse Guide

To start, here's an excerpt that nicely summarizes the challenges involved:

"Without significant research or guidance, the Japanese market may certainly seem to be irrational, incomprehensible, frustrating, and even backwards to foreigners attempting to do business.  People often wonder why the country that is home to such technically advanced products and high-quality hardware is not able to adopt the top products from other countries around the world.  They wonder why products unknown in the rest of the world are able to win bids over more developed and better established products from Europe or America or lower priced ones from Asia, and why Japanese companies will not even reply to their emails.  They wonder why their sales do not rise despite a flow of positive sounding news from their Japanese partners."

While there are many important elements in understanding the Japanese market, here are 3 from the guide that I think are especially important in considering the Japanese market:

  • Whereas most western markets tend to be free-for-alls, Japan's market structure is much more rigid. To be successful, requires understanding, adhering and participating with the defined and accepted channels.
  • Whereas most western markets will jump at new technology, the Japanese market is much more concerned about other factors and will be extremely careful about evaluating and accepting new technologies, new products and new versions.
  • Whereas many western markets will accept English language products with minimal translation, Japanese standards are much more rigorous.
Who this Guide is For
 
Video surveillance businesses who are currently in or planning to expand into Japan shall find this guide to be extremely useful. The detailed recommendations on key issues, best practices, recruiters to use, partners to consider and tactics to expand will be critical for companies.

The Author of the Guide

Michael Berman is the author of the Japanese Video Surveillance Guide. A native American, Michael has worked in Japan for the last few years in the video surveillance industry. Specifically, he managed International Development and Communications for the Japanese distributor of Milestone and ACTi. Michael is fluent in Japanese and has just entered a graduate program at the University of Chicago specializing in East Asian Studies and Socio-Cultural Anthropology. Contact Michael at japnmarket@gmail.com for any questions about the Guide or the Japanese Video Surveillance Market.