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# Japan’s Quality Exports

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To maintain success in modern business, it’s not just about working harder—it’s about working smarter. 

While domestic demand alone has long served as a strong driver of growth, Japanese companies know better than most how important it is to expand their overseas interests moving into the future. 

That expansion will look different for different firms, but the end goal remains the same for all corporations: growth. 

Manufacturing firm Kitagawa Gress Tech Co., Ltd. has close connections with Malaysia and seeks to strengthen these by exporting Japanese traditions and customs. 

“From its beginning, we have sent support staff and leaders from Japan to this base in Malaysia. Through this method, we have been able to teach our style of customer service and management to the local staff there,” said President Keisuke Kitagawa. 

Nissin Corporation President Koji Yokoe said, “By 2030, we are looking to increase our sales volume and production capacity by 5 to 10% annually. 

“Recently, we have seen strong overseas sales; however, production capacity still needs to catch up to fulfil these orders smoothly. We are looking to reorganize our Japanese production structure, replacing certain manual production tasks with machinery and improving efficiency.” 

Tsutomu Osada, president of Kyoei Food Co., Ltd., confirmed that his business has grand ambitions for overseas growth. 

“Our aim is to become the world’s number one panko company. In Japan, in terms of market share, we have already achieved this, with over 30% share of the industrial and food service field,” said Osada. 

“International activities will continue from our bases in Thailand and Vietnam. While we mainly work with seafood processors in Southeast Asia, we are now looking to further export to consuming countries, such as those in Europe and North America. In the future, we may even look to establish new plants in these target regions,” he added. 

Technoplast Co., Ltd. is another company with strong ties throughout Southeast Asia, according to President Akira Nakamura. 

“Globally, we have very large factory sites in Thailand. However, we still have a large amount of space and production capability available. Eventually, we would like to further our reach in not only Asia but also in Europe and North America,” said Nakamura. 

“We have set our eyes on SMEs as a target in the Southeast Asian region. However, I believe that looking at local communities more closely is an important step. In terms of specific areas, I am currently interested in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, as well as India,” he added. 

While many companies are facing uncertainty due to the flux in tariffs with the U.S., some face fewer issues than others. 

“We currently don’t have direct transactions with the U.S. market, but we maintain strong ties with China, and our products remain unaffected by the Trump-era tariffs,” said Hidenori Tanaka, president of Tel-Mic Co., Ltd. 

“As a result, we believe these tariffs may even work in our favor. While companies in other countries may face difficulties, Japan’s stable relationship with China, especially compared to the current Japan-U.S. dynamic, could create new opportunities for us,” he added. 

Kitchen tools and equipment firm Yaxell Corporation also has a strong sense of its global footprint. 

“We are communicating with our overseas agents and presenting our thoughts, designs, and ideas surrounding products. Within the next five years, we do have to focus also on making production more efficient, particularly via automation,” said President Yoshihisa Yamada. 

“Going forward, Europe and the U.S. will remain the most important markets for us. In collaboration with our trading partners, we may also look at how we can further develop products for the Asian market,” he added. 

Togawa Rubber Co., Ltd. enjoys both overseas sales and production interests, but President Toshio Sogawa said it will strike a fine balance between the two moving forward. 

“In terms of globalization, we have set up a small factory in China with around 50 employees. Recently, regions such as India, Africa, and South America have also been seeing interest from many global companies,” said Sogawa. 

“I think that it is still difficult to mass-produce high-quality goods in these areas, and this is why we will continue to focus on exports mainly from Japan. We value this strategy as part of our vision for the next five years,” he added. 

Katsuhiro Harada, president of nori seaweed products business Shirako Co., Ltd., believes the future is international. 

“We can’t rely solely on the Japanese market, given the population decline and the fact that the domestic nori market is already highly saturated, so we must establish a stronger presence in the global market to support future business expansion,” said Harada. 

“We have a subsidiary in China and have already made inroads into the North American market,” he added.

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