US-based companies have continued to choose Yokohama as the location for opening an office in Japan for their entry into the Japanese market, despite the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic having introduced recent hurdles to international travel and expansion. There are many reasons why international companies might find Yokohama attractive for opening a Japanese office, including lower rent, support facilities, a strong talent pipeline, and the city’s great accessibility. Find out more about why companies consider Yokohama the best place to open a Japanese office here.

Introducing the four US companies that have chosen to expand into Yokohama over the last year:

PLAYEVERYWARE JAPAN is designing and manufacturing video game software, and porting existing games to new consoles. For example, PLAYEVERYWARE was in charge of developing and releasing the Nintendo Switch version of “Among Us,” a game which exploded in popularity last year. They are expecting to expand their business by optimizing video game software for Japanese customers (and supporting ports to Nintendo Switch, PS4, XBOX, etc.), as well as jointly developing games with Japanese companies. JETRO, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Yokohama City cooperated to support the establishment of their Japanese entity.

Paper Airplane Japan makes use of drone data collection and analysis technology in the field of disaster prevention. The company has joined the IoT business network “IoT Open Innovation Partners (ITOP Yokohama)” sponsored by Yokohama City, and is actively seeking to collaborate with Japanese companies, including those based locally in Yokohama. The invitation to the 1st Anniversary Ceremony of the Office of the City of Yokohama Rep. to the Americas, held in 2019, started the domino effect that led to the company establishing their office in Yokohama. JETRO, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Yokohama City cooperated to support the establishment of their Japanese entity.

Cinter Technology Services provides business management systems, manufacturing / inventory management systems, etc., and helps develops businesses that support growth. After deciding to enter Japan, Cinter Technology Services chose Yokohama for opening an office in Japan, after evaluating the city’s excellent accessibility, industrial centers, and inter-city networks. JETRO, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Yokohama City cooperated to support the establishment of their Japanese entity.

Airbuy Japan is seeking to provide SMEs with new avenues toward digitalization by supporting business automation, such as introducing web applications for restaurant orders and payments. Airbuy Inc. started as a startup out of MIT, and now one of the founding members has set up this subsidiary for business in Japan. Airbuy Japan is already partnering with local companies, including an already successful signing of a contract to provide an “estimation automation tool” for a Yokohama-based company.

Companies Listed (US Headquarters):

PlayEveryWare, Inc :  https://www.playeveryware.com/

Paper Airplane LLC:  https://www.pprair.com/

Cinter LLC, Cinter Networks:　 https://www.cinter.net/

Airbuy Inc.: https://www.airbuyinc.com/

Links:

Yokohama City’s Business Support and Incentives for foreign companies

Read more:

Automotive companies flock to Yokohama – 7 global companies (incl. Ducati, Polaris) establish local bases: https://businessyokohama.com/blog/7-global-automotive-companies-coming-to-yokohama-japan/

Isuzu Motors Limited relocating to Yokohama to join city’s strong automotive industry base:
https://businessyokohama.com/blog/isuzu-motors-relocating-to-yokohama-to-join-citys-strong-automotive-base/

Pharmaceutical research supplier VectorBuilder establishes subsidiary in Yokohama, Japan:
https://businessyokohama.com/blog/vectorbuilder-establishes-subsidiary-in-yokohama-japan/

Increasing entry of foreign companies into Yokohama:
https://businessyokohama.com/blog/increasing-entry-of-foreign-companies-into-yokohama/