If you have ever had any doubts about the potential for company (and personal) development that still exists in Japan, then let the multi-talented, multinational folks over at myGengo set you straight.

The web-powered translation startup has proven hugely popular as a way to access high-quality, low cost professional translations, has been garnering accolades from tech press around the world, and currently has a membership stemming from just about every corner of the globe.

As part of a series of blogs on their own site they have been drilling deep into the advantages that the Japanese market offers for those in business or developing a career here, specifically, what characteristics does Japan have that could deliver a real boost to what you are doing.

Their first tip to those looking to launch themselves in Japan?

Screw those national borders…

As is pointed out, looking back even 10 years, very few companies could consider selling to foreign markets because of the huge cost of setting up operations overseas, shipping costs, communication barriers and the whole localization challenge.

Compare that to now. As founder and CEO Robert Laing explains – many of you are not only using digital devices, but in a number of cases are very likely working for a company that actually sells digital goods or services.

iPhone apps offer a perfect example of how the playing field has changed. The iTunes store acts as your built-in distribution channel — once you publish your app in Japanese, it’s now available to millions of new customers, basically at the click of a button. What this means is that the barrier is now much more about marketing, translation, localization and support — rather than physical infrastructure.

This is sort of bloody obvious, but it’s worth stating: Digital goods such as apps have no cost of shipping. So there is only minimal variable cost associated with entering new markets. If you can choose a market to enter, going for a wealthy one (like Japan) is a good bet.

So Why Japan and not China? The middle kingdom is the new kid on the block, right?

Everybody’s been talking about how China has overtaken Japan as the world’s #2 market. But what often gets left out of the conversation is that Japan is still a large, wealthy country (with much higher wealth per capita) and one of the best-connected places on the globe.

On top of that, China has much more significant barriers to entry. Japan maybe have an isolationist perspective and language barrier a mile high, but like well-informed consumers elsewhere in the world, Japanese customers are used to spending their money on the right thing, have well-informed tastes and are well known for bringing in popular things and turning it into an everyday feature (just think of LV bags!).

How to do it (simple is best)

Perhaps an obvious tip given myGengo is based entirely on the web, but the lessons can be applied to anyone, anywhere. Test early, iterate, and go through customer discovery, validation and creation.

Using the iPhone app example, you can localize the app simply within a few days, then launch on the store, get a few data points about demand, and iterate from there. Finding passionate, early-adopter Japanese users who are already playing with the app in English (you should have these users already if your app is good enough and ready for Japan) will allow you to get initial feedback on whether the app is ‘working’ for Japanese users at a basic level. There is no reason to invest heavily until the basics are working.

Am I going to be a guaranteed hit in Japan?

No, what Robert has put together is obviously just a basic guide to getting started. But the most important point is, if your business model is sound, putting a toe in the water here could be one of the most profitable steps your company makes. Japan is crying out for new stuff, and people here love useful tools, apps and services as much as any kid in Silicon Valley does. So if you have a great product, it’s a great product, and it could work here.

Find out more about myGengo and consider joining their community of translators. They pay for your work and it makes for a great way to see where language services are heading. Robert is a great example of a foreign entrepreneur in Japan. Follow his updates in the myGengo blog.

Photo credit: Guwashi / Flickr