If you are an international business looking to invest and profit from Japan, or if you are a Japanese business looking to expand beyond Japan to Singapore, ASEAN, or Asia Pacific, you have come to the right place.
We are one of the oldest and most experienced business strategy, branding, communications, and leadership transformation agencies in Asia, having built brands for emerging and multinational businesses in the entire Asia-Pacific region.
The Japanese economy is one of the most advanced and developed in the world, often ranked among the top few. Japanese businesses have invested within ASEAN and Asia Pacific through the decades and are back with a strong wave again in the 21st century. Strong Japanese contenders to expand within ASEAN and Asia Pacific are both service and technology-driven, including retail, food and beverage, automobiles, consumer electronics, robotics, industrial tools, and more.
Why do smart Japanese businesses invest in ASEAN and Asia Pacific?
The ASEAN market has a combined population of more than 680 million people, more than the entire EU population (449 million+) or that of the United States (355 million+). The ASEAN market has a combined GDP (PPP) of around US$12 trillion, with GDP per capita of US$17,000 upwards. The entire ASEAN is a trade-friendly region with free trade agreements.
The ASEAN market is not a monolithic market like China, Japan, or South Korea. It is made up of 10 member nations with 11 official languages (Burmese, Chinese, English, Filipino, Indonesian, Khmer, Lao, Malay, Tamil, Thai, and Vietnamese). English is used primarily in Singapore and the Philippines. If you want to truly succeed in the ASEAN markets, you would need on-ground assistance with partners who can communicate in the local languages.
The greater Asia Pacific is also in various stages of development, presenting a myriad of opportunities for the long haul. For example, mainland China, South Korea, India, and Australasia (Australia and New Zealand) are all unique and important markets to expand and grow for any international business looking for massive markets.
Some of the key sectors growing tremendously in this region include:
1. Medicine, Pharmaceuticals, and Healthtech: The healthcare, pharmaceuticals, healthtech, and medical devices markets in this region are high growth segments, with countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand highly favored as healthcare hubs within ASEAN, and mainland China, South Korea, and Japan being big producers and consumers as well. The regional governments invest heavily in healthcare infrastructure and human capital, in line with the region’s goal for better healthcare, especially in pockets of aging populations.
2. Digital, E-commerce & ICT: With the region opening up to foreign investments in the Information & Communications Technology (ICT) field with investment-friendly policies, the related fields of digital and e-commerce have also become central to this region. The region is fast growing with broadband (fiber and mobile) implementation, which propels AI (artificial intelligence), digital, ICT, data centers, and e-commerce adoption. The region”s young and vibrant population, with a fast-expanding middle class, also helps all things digital to become investment- and ROI-friendly. Some of the fastest-growing “tech unicorns” are found in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam within ASEAN, and in mainland Japan and India.
3. Construction and Infrastructure: The regional market has not even reached the peak, with a lot more market and growth potential in the decades to come, outpacing developed economies in the EU and USA. Construction will continue to be a driving force in this region to cater to continued and accelerated growth. The construction industry is often a collaboration of government and private sector entities. The regional economy is fast expanding beyond their cities, with rail infrastructure fast permeating throughout the region, empowering rural and suburban economies, and even linking to the rest of the world. The Laos-China Railway (LCR) is one such monumental project, which empowers merchants from Laos to profit from the southern Chinese regions and beyond. The Jakarta-Bandung high-speed rail (HSR) service is another pan-Asian collaboration between China and Indonesia.
4. FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods), F&B, and Hospitality: The region is growing with rising disposable incomes, and industries such as food and beverage (F&B), hotels, tourist destinations, music entertainment, and personal care products are all going to power the region’s consumption.
We help you grow and profit in ASEAN and greater Asia Pacific
McGallen & Bolden is one of the oldest and most experienced business strategy, branding, communications, and leadership transformation agencies in Asia, and we have built brands for emerging and multinational businesses in the entire Asia Pacific region.
Our portfolio is extensive, and our experience is deep and wide, ranging from AI, software, cybersecurity, IoT, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, robotics, industrial safety, electronics, luxury, FMCG, and more. You will benefit from one of the best consultancies that can help you with understanding how to penetrate the Asia Pacific market and using various strategies and tactics to grow your customer base.
Let us know what you need, and we will look forward to our conversation to help you grow and profit in the region soon!