Japan is a country with great market potential! Just like every other culture though, there are some differences to be aware of in order to effectively conduct similar studies, and get a similar quality of results. Here are 8 UX tips to more effectively conduct research in the Land of the Rising Sun!
1. Tokyo alone provides ample diversity
What percentage of the representative population is in the metropolitan area? If the theme is not one that is likely to have regional characteristics, there will be representation even if the target is gathered only from the Tokyo metropolitan area. If the target is to be expanded, places like Osaka or Nagoya should be added. The three areas alone account for about 50% of Japan’s total population.
2. Home visits are complex
In Japan, where many residents live in compact homes, conducting in-home interviews or visits can be quite challenging, especially when aiming to involve international clients in the research process. A typical research team might consist of a researcher, an assistant, a client, and a simultaneous interpreter. However, accommodating a team of four or more individuals in a small living space can considerably elevate the level of difficulty in finding willing participants for the study.
3. Make time for recruiting
The minimum amount of time to fulfill a basic recruitment quota is 14 to 17 days. For more nuanced screenings that include special cases (i.e.; people with certain disabilities) or instances that are uncommon in Japan (i.e.; people who drive daily, out LGBTQ+ members), expect recruitment to take 3 weeks or more to complete.
4. Japanese participants stick to schedules
Japanese people are generally punctual. For on-site surveys, they will arrive 15 minutes before, or even earlier, allowing for less need for buffer time when conducting multiple surveys in a day. Furthermore, the no-show rate is very low compared to overseas, allowing for less of a need to over-recruit.
5. Fight against groupthink
Groupthink is a risk with research in any country, but be especially wary in Japan. There is a particularly strong tendency towards harmony and agreement of opinions in groups. Just as there’s a lack of giving a strong opinion, in a group setting, those lacking strong opinions are more likely to latch on to others’ thoughts, even if it is not how they truly feel, because they want to give the “right” answer. When conducting focus groups, having an experienced moderator skilled at extracting individual opinions from each participant is vital to effective discussion and accurate data collection.
6. Adjust studies for smartphones
Japan, especially among youths, is mobile heavy. If doing an interview over Zoom or Meet, expect a few to join via smartphone. Make sure correspondence, surveys, and other necessities are as mobile friendly as possible. If it is absolutely necessary for participants to join via PC or larger device (for purposes such as screen sharing), notify recruitment beforehand to accommodate for the more restrictive screening.
7. No Japanese, no life
In Japan, the proficiency, and by consequence preference, in speaking any other language is considerably low. Therefore, for comprehensive understanding and acquisition of authentic responses, it is a must to facilitate interviews and product testing in Japanese. This linguistic preference also extends to product testing. When testing prototypes, it is essential to translate and localize not only the language but also the design elements and calls to action to align with the Japanese context.
8. Periods to avoid research in the year
Despite stereotypes, Japanese people do take breaks! There are three main blocks of holidays in a row throughout a year that should be avoided as much as possible for active study participation.
Late April – Early May: Golden Week
Mid August: Obon Holiday Week
December 30th – January 3rd: New Years Holiday*
*Though the official New Years Holiday is only 5 days, it’s a common vacation period for Japanese people. Therefore it’s safe to assume that any projects won’t begin (or will be on hold) until the second week of January.
Japan is a country with great market potential! Just like every other culture though, there are some differences to be aware of in order to effectively conduct similar studies, and get a similar quality of results. Here are 8 UX tips to more effectively conduct research in the Land of the Rising Sun!
1. Tokyo alone provides ample diversity
What percentage of the representative population is in the metropolitan area? If the theme is not one that is likely to have regional characteristics, there will be representation even if the target is gathered only from the Tokyo metropolitan area. If the target is to be expanded, places like Osaka or Nagoya should be added. The three areas alone account for about 50% of Japan’s total population.
2. Home visits are complex
In Japan, where many residents live in compact homes, conducting in-home interviews or visits can be quite challenging, especially when aiming to involve international clients in the research process. A typical research team might consist of a researcher, an assistant, a client, and a simultaneous interpreter. However, accommodating a team of four or more individuals in a small living space can considerably elevate the level of difficulty in finding willing participants for the study.
3. Make time for recruiting
The minimum amount of time to fulfill a basic recruitment quota is 14 to 17 days. For more nuanced screenings that include special cases (i.e.; people with certain disabilities) or instances that are uncommon in Japan (i.e.; people who drive daily, out LGBTQ+ members), expect recruitment to take 3 weeks or more to complete.
4. Japanese participants stick to schedules
Japanese people are generally punctual. For on-site surveys, they will arrive 15 minutes before, or even earlier, allowing for less need for buffer time when conducting multiple surveys in a day. Furthermore, the no-show rate is very low compared to overseas, allowing for less of a need to over-recruit.
5. Fight against groupthink
Groupthink is a risk with research in any country, but be especially wary in Japan. There is a particularly strong tendency towards harmony and agreement of opinions in groups. Just as there’s a lack of giving a strong opinion, in a group setting, those lacking strong opinions are more likely to latch on to others’ thoughts, even if it is not how they truly feel, because they want to give the “right” answer. When conducting focus groups, having an experienced moderator skilled at extracting individual opinions from each participant is vital to effective discussion and accurate data collection.
6. Adjust studies for smartphones
Japan, especially among youths, is mobile heavy. If doing an interview over Zoom or Meet, expect a few to join via smartphone. Make sure correspondence, surveys, and other necessities are as mobile friendly as possible. If it is absolutely necessary for participants to join via PC or larger device (for purposes such as screen sharing), notify recruitment beforehand to accommodate for the more restrictive screening.
7. No Japanese, no life
In Japan, the proficiency, and by consequence preference, in speaking any other language is considerably low. Therefore, for comprehensive understanding and acquisition of authentic responses, it is a must to facilitate interviews and product testing in Japanese. This linguistic preference also extends to product testing. When testing prototypes, it is essential to translate and localize not only the language but also the design elements and calls to action to align with the Japanese context.
8. Periods to avoid research in the year
Despite stereotypes, Japanese people do take breaks! There are three main blocks of holidays in a row throughout a year that should be avoided as much as possible for active study participation.
Late April – Early May: Golden Week
Mid August: Obon Holiday Week
December 30th – January 3rd: New Years Holiday*
*Though the official New Years Holiday is only 5 days, it’s a common vacation period for Japanese people. Therefore it’s safe to assume that any projects won’t begin (or will be on hold) until the second week of January.
Contact us
These 8 tips may be difficult to overcome alone, but we are here to help. As a Japan-based UX research firm with a strong background in Japanese culture, Uism is dedicated to implementing and following through on any studies wishing to be done in Japan. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.