A practical guide to Japanese networking for overseas entrepreneurs

For many foreign entrepreneurs and startups thinking about doing business in Japan, one of the biggest concern is language.

But, I would say, in recent years, more international startup events and programs have appeared, especially in the capitals like Tokyo. Some events are fully conducted in English, from small meetups to large conferences held throughout the year. There are also many Japanese participants who are comfortable communicating in English.

If you plan to build and grow your business in Japan for the mid-long term, learning Japanese will definitely help you work here, as it helps you move faster and build trust.

In the startup scene especially, being able to explain your product even in Japanese, and most importantly, building friendly relationships, are the first steps to diving into the community and earning trust.

Why Self-Introduction in Japanese Matters

Even if Japanese people can speak English, using Japanese as much as possible helps reduce psychological distance very quickly. At startup networking and meetups, it is very useful if you can explain, in simple Japanese:

• Who you are, your background, how long you're staying in Japan
• What kind of business you are working on
• Why you are interested in the Japanese market

You do not need to be perfect. Short and simple sentences are enough.

It is also very common in Japan to exchange social media, such as LinkedIn or Facebook, at the end of a conversation, and then continue building the relationship later through messages. Younger people might exchange Instagram, Tiktok, or LINE instead.

Demonstration: A Startup Networking Event in Tokyo

Let’s look at how Japanese is used in real conversations through a sample situation.

Your Profile (Example)

• Name: David
• Title: CEO of XYZ Company
• Age: 30
• Company: Established in 2021
• Country: New York, USA
• Hobby: Anime (One Piece / Detective Conan / Dragon Ball)
• Product: AI-powered co-creation platform for content creators around the world
• Why join: Networking with local startups, investors, and ecosystem players
• Language: Native English / Beginner level Japanese

You: Hello  / こんにちは

‍Other person: Hello  / こんにちは

You: My name is David. I run a collaboration platform for content creators. / Davidと言います。コンテンツクリエイター向けのコラボレーションプラットフォームを展開しています。

‍Other person: I’m Kenta. Nice to meet you. I also run a startup. / Kentaです。はじめまして。そうなんですね、僕もスタートアップです

You: What kind of startup is it? / どんなスタートアップなんですか？

‍Other person: It’s a deep tech startup. / ディープテックです

You: I see. I’m working on a startup in the creator economy space. We launched in the US in 2024. Now, I want to increase awareness of our service in Japan. I just arrived in Japan, so I would love to learn more from you. / そうなんですね。私はクリエイターエコノミー領域のスタートアップをやっています。2021年にアメリカでローンチしました。 これから日本でもサービスの認知度を高めていきたいと思っています。最近日本に来たばかりなので、色々教えてください。

Other person: That’s great. Of course! / すごいですね。ぜひです！

You: Are you on LinkedIn? I’d like to connect. / LinkedInやっていますか？交換したいです。

You: I will text you. / また連絡します！

Useful Japanese Words For Networking Events

• That’s great! / すごいですね sugoidesune
• I would love to learn things more from you! / いろいろ教えてください iroiro oshietekudasai
• I will want to catch up again! / またキャッチアップしましょう mata catch up shimasho
• I will text you. / 連絡します！renraku shimasu

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