Looking for Japanese distributors, importers or agents?
The best ones don't show up in Google. And they don't respond to cold email.
Over the last 22 years we’ve built the relationships to reach them and helped 450+ companies find the right sales partners in Japan.
✅ Companies of all sizes, from all over the world
✅ Companies selling everything from specialized B2B, medical, industrial, technical, and scientific products to all types of consumer goods
✅ Companies new to Japan and many others already in the Japanese market but unhappy with their current distributor
Struggling to find Japanese distributors? You're not alone
You need the right partners to succeed in the complex Japanese market, but finding these companies isn’t easy…
❌ Most don’t have English websites, so Google won’t help.
❌ LinkedIn is barely used in Japan, and AI tools aren’t much help for finding potential partners.
❌ There are no reliable online directories of Japanese distributors, importers, and agents.
And even if you can somehow find them, you’ll discover they usually ignore email from someone they don’t know.
The #1 mistake companies make in Japan
I’ve seen it again and again over the last 40 years.
A company new to Japan signs a deal with the first Japanese firm that shows interest in their products.
Then, after wasting years with little or no sales in Japan, they start looking for a new distributor — or leave the Japanese market entirely, believing there’s limited demand for their products in Japan.
Ironically, many of these companies would do well in Japan with a better distributor.
This problem is so common that almost half of our clients come to us because they’re unhappy with their current Japanese distributor.
How we solve both problems
We’ve spent 22 years solving both of these problems — helping companies new to Japan start with the right distributor, and helping those with the wrong one find a better fit.
Our database contains over 23,000 Japanese distributors, importers, and agents — many you won’t find using Google.
For highly specialized products, we’ve developed effective techniques for identifying niche distributors who aren’t in our general database.
This lets us put together a shortlist of the most qualified candidates for your products — giving you real choices, not just whoever showed up first.
And our FAST Formula™ includes specific methods for getting their attention that don’t rely on cold email.
Connecting companies with sales partners in Japan is all we do
Hi, I’m Tom Lister.
I’m fluent in Japanese and have over 40 years of experience in the Japanese market.
For the past 22 years, my team and I have focused entirely on connecting non-Japanese companies with the right Japanese distributors, importers, and agents for their products.
We’ve helped 450+ companies do it successfully.
If Japan is a good fit for your products, we’ll draw on our database of 23,000+ distribution partners, 22 years of market relationships, and our 3-step FAST Formula™ to connect you with sales partners who:
✅ Speak English
✅ Know your industry
✅ Have a strong track record of selling products like yours
