Recruitment timelines vary depending on the target profile and screening criteria. For a typical consumer study, recruitment usually takes around 2 to 3 weeks. More specialized audiences may require additional time. We’ll advise on feasibility early so the timeline is clear from the start.

From kickoff to final delivery, a standard qualitative study in Japan typically takes about 5 to 7 weeks. This usually includes research design, recruitment, fieldwork, analysis, and reporting. The schedule may vary depending on scope and complexity.

Yes. Certain periods can affect availability, such as Golden Week (late April–early May), Obon (mid-August), and the New Year period. We’ll help you choose timing that minimizes disruption and risk.

Japanese participants tend to be highly reliable. A 5–10% buffer is typically plenty, compared to the 20% often required in other markets.

In many cases, yes. Tokyo provides a large and diverse participant pool for consumer studies. That said, if the target profile is narrow or difficult to recruit, we may need to expand beyond Tokyo to reach the right participants. We may also recommend additional locations when regional context matters

Your team can be involved at a level that fits your working style. We can arrange live remote observation, provide live interpretation when helpful, and run interim debriefs to keep you aligned during fieldwork. If you’d like to make light refinements to the discussion guide mid-study, we’ll advise on what’s feasible while maintaining consistency.

We strongly advise against it. The pool of English-speaking participants in Japan is unrepresentative. To get authentic insights, sessions should be in Japanese with professional interpretation.