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Real GaijinUnveiling the Real Japan: An American Expat's Inside Look Hot takes, commentary, and unfiltered insights on life as a foreigner in Japan. Author: Mark Kennedy
Unveiling the Real Japan: An American Expat's Inside Look Hot takes, commentary, and unfiltered insights on life as a foreigner in Japan. realgaijin.substack.com Language: en Genres: Places & Travel, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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AMA Podcast (S-01, E-19) with Pascal Gudorf, founder & CEO of Japan Business Insights (JBI) and Author of "Getting to 'Yes' in Japan"
Thursday, 13 November, 2025
Japan is back! Due to headwinds from the Chinese market, European manufacturers and brands have recently shown renewed interest in the Japanese market. While many large companies have been active in Japan for decades, small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are curious about new opportunities there but often don’t know how to develop and implement a market entry strategy. They need a market access specialist like today’s guest, Pascal Gudorf, founder and CEO of JBI (Japan Business Insights).Who is he?Pascal Gudorf is a Japan resident with over 20 years of experience. Originally from Germany, he has lived and worked in Japan since 1999.He served as editor-in-chief of JAPANMARKET, the leading magazine for German companies doing business in and with Japan. Previously, he worked for the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan before joining Mitsui & Co., one of Japan’s most powerful trading companies. There, he spent six years helping equipment manufacturers from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, and the United Kingdom deliver projects for Japanese customers.Back in Japan, Pascal transitioned to working as an independent market entry consultant. In 2023, he founded his own management consultancy, JBI (Japan Business Insights). He helps startups and SMEs succeed in some of Japan’s most demanding sectors, including cleantech, energy, mobility, and infrastructure services. Pascal continues to represent ECOS and the State of Thuringia, bridging the innovation ecosystems of Germany and Japan. He is based in Fukuoka.What does Japan Business Insights do?Pascal’s consulting firm helps clients develop strategies for entering the Japanese market and provides guidance to foreign companies looking to expand there. Japan Business Insights offers continuous support to help clients overcome challenges after entering the market through the formation of a direct subsidiary, joint venture, or distribution channel partnership.Pascal is also the co-author, with longtime colleague Richard Mort, of Getting to “Yes” in Japan. He is a prolific LinkedIn contributor who frequently publishes original industry trend reports in English on the Japan Business Insights website.Key Takeaways* Be aware of cultural differences: Developing at least a rudimentary level of proficiency in Japanese is highly advantageous for succeeding in business in Japan, but studying the nuances of Japanese culture is critical. Pascal, who is fluent in Japanese, English, German, and French, often counsels his European clients to approach their Japanese counterparts in the context of Geert Hofstede’s Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI). The UAI measures how strongly different cultures are threatened by ambiguity and uncertainty, as well as how much they rely on rules, structure, and predictability to reduce anxiety. High-UAI cultures, such as those in Japan, Greece, Portugal, France, and many Latin American countries, tend to emphasize clear rules, detailed planning, job security, and risk avoidance. This reflects a preference for stability and discomfort with improvisation. Conversely, low-UAI cultures, including Singapore, Denmark, Sweden, the U.K., and the U.S., are generally more comfortable with ambiguity, experimentation, flexible rules, and entrepreneurial risk. Countries in the middle range, such as Germany and China, blend structure with pragmatism, tolerating uncertainty when it supports efficiency or long-term goals. Overall, the index highlights how deeply cultural values shape people’s tolerance for risk, innovation, and social norms.* Entrepreneurship outside Japan’s megacities: After serving in Germany, Pascal and his family moved back to Japan just before the pandemic. Despite having spent decades living and working in Tokyo, Pascal made the bold choice to open his own market access consultancy in Fukuoka, a growing regional city in the southwestern part of the country. His success proves that enterprising foreigners can succeed in Japan’s business world outside the megacity centers of Greater Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.* Advance preparation is key: Pascal has helped many European businesses develop effective go-to-market strategies, establish wholly owned subsidiaries, find partners, and optimize existing operations in Japan over the years. He gives virtually all of his clients one piece of advice: approach the Japanese market having done plenty of advance preparation. Don’t try to wing it. Do your homework in advance and come prepared with a long list of questions.TimelineSubstack does not yet have the functionality to allow you to use a link to jump to a specific section like YouTube’s “chapters.” Please refer to the times listed below to navigate through our hour-long conversation. Thank you for your understanding.Key Contacts* Substack (Japan Business Secrets): * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pgudorf/* Website: https://www.jbi.one/#PascalGudorf #JapanBusinessInsights #JBI #JapanBusinessSecrets #JapanSME #CrossBorderJapan #JapanMarketEntry #RealGaijin #パスカルグドルフ #中小企業 #日本中小企業 #日本クロスボーダー #日本市場参入 #日本中小企業買収 #外人 #外国人 #リアル外人Please note that you can subscribe to Real Gaijin for free. If you are so inclined, you can also purchase an annual subscription for a relatively small fee.However, I understand that even the lowest level of annual subscription allowed by Substack may seem too high for many. If you just want to buy a coffee (or maybe a matcha latte) for Real Gaijin, you can also make a small donation here:https://buymeacoffee.com/realgaijinIn addition to offering a way to make a one-time, small donation equivalent to the price of a cup of coffee, Buy Me Coffee now supports recurring donations. Real Gaijin has three levels, including the following:Pine or sho (松) in Japanese (gold level) for US$10/monthBamboo or chiku (竹) in Japanese (silver level) for $5/month (same as a regular subscription via Substack)Plum or bai (梅) in Japanese (bronze level) for only US $1/monthIn Japanese, shō-chiku-bai (松竹梅) literally means “pine–bamboo–plum.” As is often the case for course meals in certain restaurants, on sake menus, or box lunch bento sets, shō-chiku-bai is often used instead of “gold–silver–bronze.”For readers with some knowledge of Japanese, yes, the word for “pine” is “matsu.” In this case, however, the on-yomi (音読み) is used. Similarly, the word for bamboo is “take,” but the on-yomi is “chiku.” Similarly, the word for plum is “ume,” but the on-yomi is “bai.”No Need to Pay Me: All levels of support - including just liking a particular article and/or leaving a comment - are very welcome. Thanks again for reading.While Real Gaijin lives in Substack, you can also find Real Gaijin on a few other platforms (listed in alphabetical order).https://www.instagram.com/real_gaijin_on_substack/https://www.threads.net/@real_gaijin_on_substackhttps://www.tiktok.com/@real.gaijinhttps://x.com/Real_Gaijin_https://www.youtube.com/@RealGaijinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-kennedy-5b50b71/ Get full access to Real Gaijin at realgaijin.substack.com/subscribe
