Hidden Treasure
The Japanese government calls it a “digital cliff”—a projected shortfall of 450,000 engineers, programmers, and other tech workers needed by 2030 to undertake the country’s digital transformation. Harnessing the largely untapped potential of Japanese women—who are drastically underrepresented in science, engineering, and computer programming jobs and college degrees—could help narrow that gap.
Start It Up!
Starting a business anywhere is a demanding endeavor, but doing so in Japan presents its own particular set of hurdles and idiosyncrasies. For those who can navigate the process, however, there are many rewards to be had. Although the dynamics can vary widely depending on the industry, the top challenges facing startups in Japan include simply breaking into the market, language and cultural differences, the time it takes to build a customer base, bureaucratic requirements, and difficulties raising money.