Now is a good time for Australian firms to consider sending an employee to work in Japan or to export goods/services to the world's second-biggest economy, according to Austrade, the Australian Government's export development agency.

The agency's Osaka/Japan-based senior trade commissioner, Michael Clifton, says although Japan is Australia's number one export destination, and despite good strategic reasons to set up there, fewer than 100 Australian firms have a presence.

"The Japanese Government has announced a policy direction to increase foreign investment from 2.8% to 10% by the year 2010. This, in turn, has led to more acceptance of international goods and services," says Clifton.

"Having an employee based in Japan is a very effective way to increase your business's export success."

According to executive director of the Australian-Japan Business Corporation Committee, Paul Gallagher, if you're serious about the Japanese market, then it's not a market you target once or twice a year. You should at least consider going there once a month - or base a staff member there.

"There are around 12,000 Aussies in Japan at the moment, but less than 100 businesses have a full-time presence. More could be achieved by basing a staff member there. The Japanese business psyche is such that if you have a person off-shore who's a good operator, the local presence rates well from not just a servicing point of view, but the relationship building perspective - for Japanese in particular, the quality of the relationship is most important," he says.

Austrade is holding its 'Japan: Ripe for Re-assessment' seminars in Australia.
The briefing dates are: Perth (Monday, 30 July), Adelaide (Tuesday, 31 July), Melbourne (Wednesday, 1 August), Sydney (Thursday, 2 August) and Brisbane (Friday, 3 August).