Wrap-up of 2024
I hope your business had a successful 2024. Thank you so much for your continued support of Small Business Japan.
This week (and year) in Small Business Japan (30 Dec, 2024)
Good thing: I just decided to launch Small Business Japan and went for it after only a month and a half of preparation. There are still a few things to refine, but the fact that I was able to get it started at all was pretty good for someone like me, who is a perfectionist and tends to procrastinate.
Challenges: Maintaining a consistent flow of articles proved demanding. This was largely due to balancing my other work commitments, especially navigating bureaucratic hurdles (which inspired the new tag #RedTapeJapan!). Additionally, I caught the flu in December, which delayed my writing. I apologise to all my readers who were waiting for new articles. This experience underscored the importance of prioritising my health to deliver new articles to my readers consistently. (By the way, speaking of red tape, the article 'Change your company address yourself: A guide to the Homukyoku process' is now fully published with sample documents for KK and GK, respectively, and ready to download. Thank you very much for your patience!)
In 2024, I had the opportunity to meet many foreign businesspeople and learn about your challenges and aspirations. These encounters, including conversations with many of the readers now, inspired me to start Small Business Japan, a place to provide clear guidance and practical information on businesses in Japan. I am grateful for each of these valuable interactions.
In 2025, the site navigation is to be improved, and more articles will be published for you. I also hope to introduce a comment section, allowing you to engage in discussions with us and other members (though the exact timing for this is still to be decided).
Your questions and requests are always welcomed. Whether you need information on doing business in Japan or have queries about daily life here, I'm happy to respond. You can reach out from this page. I'll also continue to be committed to providing the information you need while researching and responding to your requests.
‘Fall in love with the problem, not the solution,’ as Uri Levine puts it, problems are simply opportunities in disguise. Let us tackle new challenges together in 2025!
I hope that 2025 will be a more fruitful year for all of our readers. A Happy New Year to all!
