A — 2 "Be prepared for important cultural and language difficulties. This may seem obvious but some people try to get by in Japan without hiring a good interpreter who can also explain Japanese traditions and customs".

B — 4 "Trade on personal contact at a senior level. This is more important than trading on price. Physical presence matters."

C — 5 "Patience pays dividends. It may take several visits before an order comes through. Hoodie & Dunthorne took about 16 months to get going and Wainwright spent 10000 before getting an order. He had gone back to the UK from a trade show ready to call it a day when his sales manager, who was due to follow him the next day got a call to see the Mitsui Corporation three days later."

D — 3 "Avoid middlemen so as to speed delivery. Joloda uses an agent in Japan but was able to give faster service by minimizing the length of its distribution chain. Hoodie & Dunthorne employs Rebecca Hawkins, a leading designer, and manufactures its own jewelry, so providing a fast direct service with original designs."

E — 6 "Develop your intuition. Kordell says a culture of politeness prevents the Japanese from expressing dislike and disagreement. If they visit you in the UK Wainwright says to remember they do not usually eat big meals or too much meat. Fish restaurants are safer."

F — 1 "Offer gifts. "The Japanese enjoy giving and receiving beautifully presented gifts," Kordell says. "Status is critical, so a prestigious brand is appreciated best. However, it is not the value of the gift, but the fact it is a present from you that counts," says Wainwright."