Nobody else was doing it well in Japan, so I decided to give it my best shot. When the niche opportunity idea dawned on me, I knew there was a lot of news that even locals overlook in their daily rush to pay the bills and get through the day.
Here are four mini salvos to get your noggin churning.
1) The Japanese cherish space. The once dank and barren station corridors – home to homeless folks – are now the rage for innovative concept shops, mostly boutiques. In the major population centers these spaces are being built up rapidly. But four out of five stations in Tokyo are cautiously approaching this commercial buildup. A foreign architect with space efficiency in mind and unique design concepts could rapidly find shopkeepers wanting fashionable stores in these once-forsaken stations passageways.
Kiosk Innovation
2)Every now and again one comes across here a totally acculturated and dedicated craftsman of non-Japanese heritage who has built a strong following in Japan and throughout the world. Some of these adventurists design musical instruments like the flute called “shakuhachi,” while others design Japanese pottery called “yakimono.” Whether artisan, performer, or savvy entrepreneur, opportunity abounds in the artisan world of Japan.
3) The huge list of associations I have put together in the Success in Japan Directory offer tremendous leads to companies, individuals and innovations in Japan. Seeing that the above list is linked only to English websites, you can try to contact the association itself or its members. If that doesn’t work, please contact me and I’ll see if I can arrange some kind of communication or meeting for a modest consultation fee.
4)
A Biotechnological experiment in Japan to make seasonally-optimal garden landscapes.
For bio-techies and start-up companies in biotechnology, did you know that a Biotechnology Business Competition is held annually in Japan with a first prize of 5,000,000 yen and that submissions can be made in English? I smell a chance for you to get your proverbial foot in the door.
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