When foreign founders begin their Japan expansion, they often arrive with a quarterly target in mind. "Let's see if we can close two enterprise deals in Q1." It is a reasonable instinct in San Francisco. It is the wrong instinct in Tokyo.

In Japan, the first 90 days are not about closing. They are about earning the right to begin a real conversation.

Short answer: no deals after 90 days in Japan is normal, not a warning sign. Japanese enterprises buy by internal consensus over 12–18 months, and the first quarter is spent getting introduced, being evaluated as a long-term partner and opening the right doors. By day 90 you should have a qualified pipeline of five to fifteen accounts, two or three proof-of-concept conversations, and a plain verdict on whether Japan is real for you — but almost never a signed contract. If you have none of those signals, the problem is the approach, not the market.

The introduction economy

Japanese enterprises do not respond to cold email. They do not take calls from LinkedIn requests. They consider unsolicited outreach a sign that the sender does not understand the market — which is, of course, exactly correct.

Instead, business in Japan runs on introductions. A warm intro from a respected third party is worth more than ten polished decks. The first 30 days of any Japan engagement should be spent finding, qualifying, and activating those introductions.

Patience as strategy

Once meetings begin, they are exploratory. The Japanese counterpart is assessing whether your company is serious, stable, and ready to invest in a multi-year relationship — not just looking for a quick PoC.

This means the first three or four meetings are about trust-building, not pricing. Trying to close on the first call signals that you do not understand what is being assessed.

What should have happened by month 3?

By the end of Month 3, with the right embedded operator on the ground, you should expect:

  • A validated qualified pipeline (5-15 prospects, depending on category)
  • Two or three proof-of-concept discussions with clear next steps
  • One or two regulatory or partner conversations opening doors
  • A clear sense of whether Japan is real for your business — or not yet

That last point is the most important. Japan rewards the long arc. If you are not seeing these signals by Month 3, the problem is usually not Japan. The problem is the approach.

Already past launch, and your Japan numbers look half the size of other regions? That is a different question — see We launched in Japan but sales are half of other regions.