Japan market entry research
for global startups
Fixed scope. Fixed price. 2 weeks. Async, text-first — no calls required. I help indie hackers and seed-stage founders understand whether Japan is worth the bet, and who to talk to first.
See packages →Starting at $2,500 · Delivery in 14 days
Why a Tokyo-based builder, not a consultancy?
Inside the market
I live in Tokyo and run 23 sites at Mild Solt. I see what JP small business actually pays for, not what consultants say they should pay for.
2-week turnaround
Solo operator running an autonomous AI infra (Hermes) for speed. No team handoffs, no 6-week proposals. Kickoff today, deliverable in 14 days.
Async-first
All work happens over text and Loom. One optional 30-min video call at the end. Works across any timezone.
Pick a scope
All packages are fixed-price, fixed-scope. No hourly billing, no scope creep.
Get the Tokyo perspective before pricing normalizes. Same fixed scope, same 2-week turnaround.
Claim founders price ($1,500) →Japan Market Snapshot
- ✅ 10 JP competitors mapped (English summary)
- ✅ Regulatory snapshot (PMDA / privacy / ads law)
- ✅ 5 pilot customer prospects with contact paths
- ✅ 30-min Loom walkthrough
Japan GTM Deep Dive
- ✅ Everything in Tier 1
- ✅ Pricing strategy (3-5 JP comparables + tier structure)
- ✅ Japanese UI/UX localization checklist (10 items)
- ✅ 3 Japanese-language pricing/CTA copy drafts
Japan Pilot Launch Support
- ✅ Everything in Tier 2
- ✅ Japanese landing page (built on mildsolt design system)
- ✅ Cold outreach to 5 JP pilot customers (email + drafts)
- ✅ Weekly 30-min Loom review × 4
See what a Tier 1 deliverable looks like
Read the public sample: a 1-page Japan Readiness Checklist applied to a generic US SaaS. The actual Tier 1 deliverable goes 10x deeper with your real competitors, your real prospects, and your real regulatory exposure — but this gives you the shape of what you're paying for.
Read the public sample (no email required) →2-minute read · No signup · No retargeting pixel
How a 2-week engagement runs
Kickoff (30-min async Loom)
You send me your product URL, current market hypothesis, and any specific questions. I send back a Loom confirming scope.
Interim checkpoint
Draft competitor map + regulatory snapshot delivered. You give async feedback over text.
Final delivery
Full deliverable + 30-min Loom walkthrough. You own all materials; no retention clause.
FAQ
Do you offer hourly or custom scopes?
No. Fixed scope is the entire point — it keeps cost predictable for you and keeps me from drifting into endless meetings. If you need something bespoke beyond Tier 3, I'll refer you to a consultancy.
What if my product doesn't fit Japan?
That's a finding, not a failure. Tier 1 explicitly answers "should we even try". Some clients close Tier 1 with a clean "no", and that saves them six months.
How are payments handled?
Stripe invoice in USD, 50% upfront, 50% on delivery. International transfer also OK.
What if I need video calls?
One 30-min call at delivery is included. Additional calls available at $200 each, but most clients are happy with async Loom + text.
Who runs this?
Solo operator in Tokyo with 18 years of digital production work and an autonomous AI infra (Hermes) for research velocity. Reach me on Indie Hackers or X.
Ready to find out if Japan is worth your bet?
Reply by email — most engagements are confirmed within 24 hours.
hello@mildsolt.jp →