Guides for specific software problems · Entering the Japanese market
A website for Japan: why translation alone isn't enough
Japan is one of the world's most affluent markets, and European quality has an excellent reputation there. A Japanese-language website is strongly recommended for market entry. Yet many European companies simply have their site translated — and wonder why no inquiries come in.
Does this sound familiar?
- You have prospects or partners in Japan, but no Japanese website.
- Your website was machine-translated or translated by an agency without any connection to Japan.
- Japanese visitors leave right away.
- You don't know whether your texts sound polite enough or unintentionally funny.
- Your CMS doesn't handle Japanese characters or layouts well.
Why this happens
Language is more than words
Japanese has levels of politeness (keigo). A grammatically correct text can still seem impolite or unprofessional — and cost trust.
Different expectations of design
Japanese websites are often denser and richer in information. Customers expect details, company data and contact persons where European pages are minimalist.
Different search terms
Japanese users don't search for the translation of your keywords. Terms have to be researched anew for the Japanese market.
Trust through presence
Service quality and availability after the sale play a big role in Japan. A website without a Japanese contact person feels distant.
What to do now
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1
Define your target group clearly
B2B or B2C, resellers or end customers? Tone, content and the desired next step depend on it.
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2
Localise instead of translating
Have native speakers rewrite your content for the Japanese market — with the right level of politeness and Japanese examples.
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3
Research Japanese search terms
Find out how your customers in Japan actually search, and build page titles and texts around that.
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4
Check the technology
Clean language markup (hreflang), suitable fonts, layouts for longer texts and the requirements of Japan's data protection law (APPI).
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5
Be reachable
Name a contact who speaks Japanese and can be reached during Japanese business hours.
How we help
QkSkima K.K. is a Japanese company in Kitakyushu with senior developers from Europe. Our own website runs fully in parallel in English, Japanese and German — that's exactly what we build for you too.
- Multilingual website (English, Japanese and any European language) without CMS baggage
- Technical implementation from Japan, with a feel for Japanese expectations
- Clean multilingual setup: hreflang, separate URLs per language, suitable fonts
- Based in Japan: invoices from a Japanese K.K., a contact on the ground
- Ongoing maintenance of all languages through one plan
Frequently asked questions
Do you translate the texts as well?
We implement the website technically and visually for the Japanese market and work closely with your texts. For specialist localisation we recommend native-speaking partners where needed.
Do I need a Japanese domain (.jp)?
Not necessarily. A separate language section such as /ja/ on your existing domain works well. A .co.jp domain requires a Japanese company presence.
Can you also help Japanese companies the other way round, for the UK and Europe?
Yes — including the privacy policy, cookie banner and legal notices required under UK and EU data protection law (UK GDPR and GDPR).
How do we coordinate despite the time difference?
You send your instructions in the evening, we work during your night, and in the morning the result is ready. The time difference works for you.