If there were ever a time to search for a potential acquisition target or take an equity stake in a small-to-medium-sized enterprise (SME) in Japan, it would be now. But how do you uncover such opportunities, determine the seller’s motivation, assess business performance, and navigate Japan's cultural and legal landscapes to close a deal? Enter today's guest. She is Mika Fukutomi, founder and managing partner of INVJapan, a boutique advisory firm that specializes in this type of investment.

Key Takeaways

* Many Potential Acquisition Targets: There are hundreds of thousands of opportunities to take over an existing business in Japan right now. Many of these businesses lack a clear successor and are available in a variety of industries. Use Mika's new Akamira.ai app to search for them. Additionally, you don't need to emigrate to Japan to purchase these SMEs or acquire a majority interest in them.

* Accelerated Market Entry: Compared to a greenfield investment, which requires starting from scratch, purchasing an existing business offers many advantages. Depending on the business, taking over an existing one can provide speed to market, an established brand reputation, an existing cash flow, skilled employees, infrastructure, and regulatory approvals. In some cases, you may also inherit valuable intangible assets, such as licenses and patents.

* Win-Win: In addition to cash, SME M&A deals often provide sellers with access to modern management techniques and overseas sales channels. Ethical buyers can combine a series of such acquisitions to take advantage of economies of scale (e.g., a chain of hotel properties).

Timeline

Substack does not yet have the functionality to allow you to use a link to jump to a specific section like YouTube's "chapters." Please refer to the times listed below to navigate through our hour-long conversation. Thank you for your understanding.

Key Contacts

* INVJapan: https://www.invjapan.org/

* Akamira.ai: https://akamira.ai/Landing

* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikafukutomi/

#MikaFukutomi #INVJapan #SME #JapanPrivateMarket #JapanSME #CrossBorderJapan #InvestJapaneseSME #JapanMarketEntry #JapanSMEAcquisition #RealGaijin #福富みか #中小企業 #日本のプライベートマーケット #日本中小企業 #日本クロスボーダー #日本市場参入 #日本中小企業買収 #外人 #外国人 #リアル外人

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