ABSTRACT
Unfortunately, the possibility that foreigners could be operating ‘small businesses’ in Japan is often ignored by foreign organizations in Japan. As if in tune with their Japanese counterparts, foreign groups seem to think that the only business worth doing is big business. This is regrettable, because it means there is little advice for small operations. The reality is that small businesses play a significant part in all economies, and there is no reason why that reality should cease when we start dealing with Japan. Being in Japan doesn’t mean that small foreign businesses can’t perform a function – one thing they can do is represent the products of small firms back home – and it doesn’t mean they can’t succeed, but it can be much more difficult for them than for large businesses. Indeed, in this context there is a need for more, not less information and assistance from both official and unofficial bodies.
